Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

Major: In compliance with telegraphic orders from the General commanding, received at my camp on Mill Creek, five miles south of Nashville, at half-past 4 o'clock A. M., on the morning of the twenty-sixth of December, 1862, I put the right wing of the Fourteenth army corps in motion toward Nolensville, Tennessee.

The First division, Brigadier-General Jeff. C. Davis commanding, marched at six A. M., upon the Edmonson pike, with orders to move upon that road to Prim's blacksmith's shop, whence it was to march direct, by a country road, to Nolensville.

The Third division, Brigadier-General Philip H. Sheridan commanding, also marched at six A. M., and upon the direct road to Nolensville.

The Second division, Brigadier-General R. W. Johnson commanding (the reserve of the right wing), followed the Third division upon the direct road.

The advance guard of Generals Davis' and Sheridan's columns, encountered the enemy's cavalry about two miles beyond our picket line. There was continuous skirmishing with the enemy until the heads of these columns reached Nolensville.

About a mile beyond the town, the enemy made a determined stand in a defile and upon a range of hills that cross the turnpike at this point, lining the slopes with skirmishers and placing a six-gun battery on a commanding position, endeavoring to repel our advance.

They were attacked in front and their position handsomely turned, by General (Colonel) Carlin's brigade of Davis' division, capturing one piece of their artillery and several prisoners. After taking possession of the defile and hills, the command was encamped.

On the night of this day, I was visited by the General commanding, who gave me verbal orders to move forward in the morning to Triune, seven miles distant, and attack Hardee's corps, supposed to be quartered at that place. At this place I was joined by Brigadier-General D. S. Stanley, Chief of Cavalry, with the First and Second Tennessee regiments and Fifteenth Pennsylvania cavalry.

Preparations were made to move forward at daylight, the cavalry under General Stanley in advance, followed by the Second division under General Johnson.

It having rained all the day previous and the entire night, there was a deep fog, which prevented our seeing one hundred and fifty yards in any direction.

The columns having moved about two miles to the front, they again encountered the enemy, consisting of cavalry, infantry, and artillery. The fog at this time being so thick that friend could not be distinguished from foe, and our cavalry being fired upon by our infantry skirmishers on the flanks — the enemy being conversant with the ground, my troops strangers to it, and, from prisoners captured, having learned that Hardee's corps had been in line of battle since night before. I did not deem it prudent to advance until the fog lifted. I ordered the command to halt until the work could be done understandingly. The fog having lifted at one o'clock P. M., an advance was immediately ordered, driving the enemy's cavalry before us.

On nearing Triune, we found that the main portion of the forces had retired, leaving a battery of six pieces, supported by cavalry, to contest the crossing of Wilson's Creek, which has steep and bluff banks.

The enemy having destroyed the bridge, it was with difficulty that it could be crossed. On the approach of our skirmishers, the battery, with the cavalry, took flight down the Eaglesville road. It now being nearly dark, and a severe and driving rain-storm blowing, they were pursued no further.

Johnson's division crossed, and camped beyond Wilson's Creek, repairing the destroyed bridge.

On the morning of the twenty-eighth, I ordered out a strong reconnoissance, under command of Brigadier-General Willich, to learn whether the enemy had retired to Shelbyville or Murfreesboro. Pursuing seven miles down the Shelbyville road, it was found that the enemy had turned to the left, having taken a dirt road which led to the Salem pike, thence to Murfreesboro.

Leaving the Second brigade of Johnson's [480] division at Triune, I marched on the twenty-ninth, with my command, on the Balle Jack road, toward Murfreesboro, the road being very bad, and the command did not reach Wilkinson's Cross-roads (five miles from Murfreesboro) until late in the evening.

My command was encamped in line of battle, Sheridan's on the left of Wilkinson's pike, Davis' division on the right of the same road, Woodruff's brigade guarding the bridge over Overall's Creek, and the two brigades of Johnson's division watching the right.

On that evening, believing that the enemy intended giving our army battle at or near Murfreesboro, I ordered the brigade left at Triune to join the command without delay, which it did on the thirtieth.

At one o'clock A. M., on the thirtieth, I received an order from General Rosecrans to report in person at his headquarters, on the Murfreesboro pike, and arrived there at three and a half o'clock A. M., received my instructions, which were that the left of my line should rest on the right of General Negley's division, and my right was to be thrown forward until it became parallel, or nearly so, with Stone River, the extreme right to rest on or near the Franklin road.

My entire command advanced at nine and a half o'clock, and Sheridan's division moving down the Wilkinson turnpike, until its advance encountered the enemy's pickets.

The line of battle was then formed, the left of Sheridan's division resting upon the Wilkinson pike, immediately upon General Negley's right. The remainder of Sheridan's division was deployed to the right, the line running in a south-easterly direction. Davis' division, which had already been deployed, moved up, his left resting upon Sheridan's right, Johnson's division being held in reserve. Our front was covered with a strong line of skirmishers, who soon became sharply engaged with the enemy's sharp-shooters and skirmishers.

The line moved forward, but slowly, as the enemy contested stubbornly every inch of ground gained by us. The ground was very favorable to them. They were under cover of heavy woods and cedar thickets. At twelve o'clock M. on the thirtieth, the house of a Mr. Harding came within our lines. From that point I ascertained where the enemy's line of battle was-our skirmishers being then about five hundred yards distant from it.

The right, under General Davis, moved handsomely, but slowly, into position, as the ground over which he had to march was hotly contested by the enemy's skirmishers.

At one o'clock P. M., word was sent to General D. S. Stanley, Chief of Cavalry, that Colonel Zahn, commanding three regiments of cavalry on my right flank, was hard pressed by a superior force. I ordered one brigade of my reserve division to report to General Stanley, who conducted it to the Franklin road. On his approach, the enemy pressing, Colonel Zahn retired, and the brigade was ordered back to its former position.

At two o'clock P. M., a citizen, residing on the Franklin road, and about half a mile in front of the enemy's line of battle, was put under guard by General Stanley. He reported as follows:

I was up to the energy's line of battle twice yesterday, and once this morning, to get some stock taken from me. The enemy's troops are posted in the following manner: The right of Cheatham's division rests on the Wilkinson pike. Withers is on Cheatham's left, with his left resting on the Franklin road. Hardee's corps is entirely beyond that road, his right resting on that road, and his left extending toward the Salem pike.

This man was immediately sent to the General commanding, and subsequently returned to me with the report that his information had been received.

I also sent a report to the General commanding, by my Aid-de-Camp, Horace N. Fisher, that the right of my line rested directly in front of the enemy's centre. This made me anxious for my right. All my division commanders were immediately informed of this fact, and two brigades of the reserve division, commanded respectively by Generals Willich and Kirk, two of the best and most experienced Brigadiers in the army, were ordered to the right of the line, to protect the right flank, and guard against surprise there.

At six o'clock P. M., I received an order from the General commanding to have large and extended camp-fires built on my right, to deceive the enemy, making them believe we were massing troops there. This order was communicated to General Stanley, commanding cavalry, and carried into execution by Major R. H. Nodine, Twenty-fifth Illinois, Engineer Officer on my staff.

On the morning of the thirtieth, the order of battle was nearly parallel with that of the enemy, my right slightly refused, and line of battle in two lines.

Two brigades of the reserve reinforced the right of the line, and the Third brigade of the reserve was posted in column about eight hundred yards in rear of the right. On the evening of the thirtieth, Sheridan's left rested on the Wilkinson road, and on the right of Negley's division, and the line then ran in a south-easterly direction, through a cedar thicket, until General Davis' right rested near the Franklin road. Kirk's brigade was on Davis' right. Willich's brigade flanked on a line nearly perpendicular to the main line, forming a crochet to the rear, to avoid the possibilities of my right being turned by anything like an equal force. My line was a strong one, open ground in front for a short distance. My instructions for the following day were received at about six and a half o'clock P. M. on the thirtieth, which were as follows:

Take strong position; if the enemy attack you, fall back slowly, refusing your right, contesting the ground inch by inch. If the enemy do not attack you, you will attack them, not vigorously, but warmly. The time of attack by [481] you to be designated by the General commanding.

I was also informed that Crittenden's corps would move, simultaneously with my attack, into Murfreesboroa.

Written instructions were sent by me to each division commander, on the night of the thirtieth, explaining to each what would be required of them on the thirty-first.

At about six and half o'clock on the thirty-first, a determined, heavy attack was made on Kirk's and Willich's brigades, on the extreme right. They were attacked by such an over-whelming force, that they were compelled to fall back.

General Kirk being seriously wounded at the first fire upon his main line, General Willich having his horse killed early in the action, and he falling into the hands of the enemy, the two brigades were deprived of their immediate commanders, and gave way in confusion. Colonel Post's brigade, on the right of Davis' division, and, in fact, my entire line to Sheridan's left, was, almost simultaneously, attacked by a heavy force of the enemy. The attack in front of Davis and Sheridan was repulsed several times; and had not the heavy attacking columns of the enemy on my right succeeded so well, my line could have been maintained, and the enemy driven back to his barricades, which extended from the Wilkinson pike, with but a short interval, three-fourths of a mile beyond the Franklin road. General Sheridan's division was ably manoeuvred by him, under my own eye.

As soon as it became evident that my lines would be compelled to give way, orders were given to re-form my line in the first skirt of timber, in the rear of my first position. The enemy advancing so rapidly on my right, I found this impossible, and changed the point of re-forming my line to the high ground in rear of the Wilkinson pike.

Moving to the left of my line, and in rear of Sheridan's division, I here met General Rousseau, in a cedar-wood, posting his division to repel the attack. I then ordered my line to fall still further back, and form on the right of Rousseau. I gave General Johnson orders, in person, to form his division in rear of Rousseau; Rousseau's division having been withdrawn to the open ground in rear of the cedar-woods, the last position became untenable, and my troops were retired to the Nashville pike, where my wing, except Shaeffer's brigade of Sheridan's division, was reassembled and replenished with ammunition. On arriving at the pike, I found Colonel Harker's brigade, of Wood's division, retiring before a heavy force of the enemy. I immediately ordered Roberts' brigade, of Sheridan's division, to advance into a cedar-wood, and charge the enemy and drive hire back. Although this brigade was reduced in numbers, and having but two rounds of cartridges, it advanced to the charge, under the gallant Colonel Bradley, driving the enemy back with the bayonet, capturing two guns and forty prisoners, and securing our communication on the Murfreesboro pike at this point. This brigade is composed of the Twenty-second, Forty-second, Twenty-seventh, and Fifty-first Illinois. The Twenty-seventh particularly distinguished itself.

About eleven o'clock A. M., Colonel Moses B. Walker's brigade arrived upon the field, and reported to me for duty. They were assigned to General Sheridan's command, to whose report I refer for the good conduct of this brigade.

On the afternoon of the thirty-first, the right wing assumed a strong position; its left, composed of Walker's brigade, resting near a commanding knoll, the line running nearly north-west along the slope of a ridge, covered with cedar growth, the right resting on the Murfreesboro pike. On the slope strong barricades were erected, which could have been well defended by single lines. The second line, Gibson's brigade (late Willich's), was used as a reserve. The right wing, excepting Davis' division and Gibson's brigade, did not participate in any general engagements after the thirty-first. There was constant skirmishing in my front till the night of the third.

On the fourth, the enemy left his position in front of the right, and evacuated Murfreesboro the night of the same day. On the sixth, the right wing marched to its present camp, two miles and a half south of Murfreesboro, on the Shelbyville pike.

The reports of Generals Johnson, Davis, and Sheridan, division commanders, are herewith inclosed. Accompanying General Johnson's report, you will find the reports of the brigade, regimental, and battery commanders, carefully prepared.

I have been thus particular on account of the commanding General's dispatch to the General-in-Chief, and also from erroneous reports sent to the public by newspaper correspondents. The attention of the General commanding is particularly called to the reports of Colonels Gibson and Dodge; also, to Lieutenant-Colonel Jones' report, who commanded the pickets in front of Willich's brigade.

Captain Edgarton, commanding battery of Kirk's brigade, certainly was guilty of a great error in taking even a part of his horses to water at such an hour. He is in the hands of the enemy, and therefore no report can be had from him at present.

In a strict compliance with my orders, and the knowledge I possessed of the position of the enemy, which was communicated to my superior and the Generals under my command, I could not have made a better disposition of my troops.

On subsequent examination of the field, I found the statements of the citizens referred to in my report correct, as the barricades,extended fully three-fourths of a mile beyond the Franklin road. I am well satisfied that Hardee's corps, supported by McCown's division (late of Kirby Smith's corps), attacked Kirk's and Willich's [482] brigade about the same time Withers' division attacked Davis, and Cheatham's division attacked Sheridan. Cheatham's and Withers' divisions compose Polk's corps.

I was in the rear of the centre of my line when this attack commenced; therefore I did not see all of the columns that attacked and turned my right; but it may be safely estimated that the rebel force outnumbered ours three to one.

After leaving my line of battle, the ground in the rear was, first, open fields; second, woods — then a dense cedar-thicket; and over such ground it was almost impossible for troops to retire in good order, particularly when assailed by superior numbers.

My ammunition train, under charge of my efficient ordnance officer, Captain Gates P. Thurston, First Ohio, was at an early hour ordered to take a position in the rear of the centre of my line. It was then attacked by the cavalry, which was handsomely repulsed by a detachment of cavalry under the direction of Captain H. Pease, of General Davis' staff, and Captain G. P. Thurston, ordnance officer.

The train was conducted safely to the Nashville pike by Captain Thurston, cutting a road through the cedar-wood for the passage of the train.

To Brigadiers R. W. Johnson, Philip H. Sheridan, and Jeff. C. Davis, I return my thanks, for their gallant conduct upon the day of the battle, and for their prompt support and conscientious attention to duty during their service in the right wing. I commend them to my superiors and my country.

To Brigadier-General D. S. Stanley my thanks are particularly due. He commanded my advance from Nolensville, and directed the cavalry on my right flank. A report of the valuable services of our cavalry will be furnished by General Stanley. I commend him to my superiors and my country.

For the particular instances of good conduct of individuals, I refer you to the reports of division commanders.

I cannot refrain from again calling the attention of my superiors to the conspicuous gallantry and untiring zeal of Colonel W. H. Gibson, of the Forty-ninth Ohio volunteers. He succeeded to the. command of Willich's brigade, and was ever prompt to dash upon the enemy with his gallant brigade when opportunity permitted. I have repeatedly recommended him for promotion. He has again won additional claims to his reward.

Colonel Harker, commanding a brigade of Wood's division, performed gallant service under my supervision, as also did Colonel Fyffe, of the Fifty-ninth Ohio. They are commended to my superiors.

To my staff--Lieutenant-Colonel E. Bassett Langdon, Inspector-General; Major R. H. Nodine, Engineer Officer; Major J. A. Campbell, Assistant Adjutant-General; Captain Gates P. Thurston, Ordnance Officer; Captain B. D. Williams, Aid-de-Camp; Captain J. F. Boyd, Assistant Quartermaster; Captain O. F. Blake, Provost Marshal; Major Caleb Bates, Volunteer Aid-de-Camp; Captain Horace N. Fisher, Volunteer Aid-de-Camp and Topographical Engineer--my thanks are due for their conspicuous gallantry and intelligence on the field.

My escort, under command of Lieutenant Huckston, Second Kentucky Cavalry, and my orderlies behaved gallantly. When my horse was shot, Orderly Cook, of the Second Indiana cavalry, replaced him with his own.

The officers of the Signal corps were ever ready to perform any service in their line, or as Aids.

The report of Surgeon C. McDermot, the Medical Director of the right wing, is also submitted. Surgeon McDermot's gallantry on the field, and his great care of the wounded, is worthy of great praise. My entire medical corps behaved nobly, except Assistant Surgeon W. S. Fish, of the Third Indiana cavalry, who fled to Nashville. He is recommended for dismissal.

The casualties of my wing are five hundred and forty killed, and two thousand two hundred and thirty-four wounded.

The nation is again called upon to mourn the loss of gallant spirits who fell upon the sanguinary field.

First of these, Brigadier-General J. W. Sill, commanding First brigade, Third division. He was noble, conscientious in the discharge of every duty, brave to a fault. He had no ambition save to serve his country. He died a Christian soldier, and in the act of repulsing the enemy.

Such names as Roberts, Shaeffer, Harrison, Stem, Williams, Reed, Houssam, Drake, Wooster, and McKee, all field officers, and many other commissioned officers, of the right wing, who fell vindicating their flag, will never be forgotten by a grateful country.

All of which is respectfully submitted,

Major: I have the honor to submit to the Major-General commanding the Department of the Cumberland, the following report of the operations of that part of my command which was engaged in the battle of Stone River, in front of Murfreesboro. It is proper to state here, that two brigades of Fry's division, and Reynolds' entire division, were detained near Gallatin and along the Louisville and Nashville railroad, to watch the movements of the rebel leader, Morgan, who had been, for a long time, on the watch for an opportunity to destroy the railroad.

Rousseau's, Negley's, and Mitchell's divisions, [483] and Walker's brigade, of Fry's division, were concentrated at Nashville; but Mitchell's division being required to garrison Nashville, my only available force was Rousseau's and Negley's divisions, and Walker's brigade, of Fry's division, about thirteen thousand three hundred and ninety-five (13,395) effective men.

Negley's division, followed by Rousseau's division and Walker's brigade, marched by the Franklin pike to Brentwood, at that point taking the Wilson pike. Negley and Rousseau were to have encamped for the night at Owen's store. On reaching the latter place, Negley, hearing heavy firing in the direction of Nolensville, left his train with a guard to follow, and pushed forward with his troops to the support of Brigadier-General J. C. Davis' command, the advance division of McCook's corps, Davis having become hotly engaged with the enemy posted in Nolensville and in the pass through the hills south of that village. Rousseau encamped, with his division, at Owen's store, and Walker, with his brigade, at Brentwood. During the night a heavy rain fell, making the cross-road almost impassable, and it was not until the night of the twenty-seventh that Rousseau reached Nolensville with his troops and train. Negley remained at Nolensville until ten A. M. on the twenty-seventh, when, having brought his train across from Wilson's pike, he moved to the east, over an exceedingly rough by-road, to the right of Crittenden, at Stewartsboro, on the Murfreesboro pike. Walker, by my orders, retraced his steps from Brentwood and crossed over to the Nolensville pike.

Negley remained in camp at Stewartsboro, bringing his train from the rear. Rousseau reached Stewartsboro on the night of the twenty-eighth. His train arrived early next day.

Negley's division crossed Stewart's Creek, two miles south-west and above the Turnpike Bridge, and marched in support of the head and right flank of Crittenden's corps, which moved, by the Murfreesboro pike, to a point within two miles of Murfreesboro. The enemy fell back before our advance, contesting the ground obstinately with their cavalry rear-guard.

Rousseau remained in camp at Stewartsboro, detaching Starkweather's brigade, with a section of artillery, to the Jefferson pike crossing of Stone River, to observe the movements of the enemy in that direction. Walker reached Stewartsboro, from the Nolensville pike about dark.

A cavalry force of the enemy, something over four hundred strong, with two pieces of artillery, attacked Starkweather about nine A. M., but were soon driven off. The enemy opened a brisk fire on Crittenden's advance, doing but little execution, however, about seven A. M. During the morning, Negley's division was obliqued to the right, and took up a position on the right of Palmer's division of Crittenden's corps, and was then advanced through a dense cedar thicket, several hundred yards in width, to the Wilkinson Cross-road, driving the enemy's skirmishers steadily, and with considerable loss. Our loss comparatively small. About noon, Sheridan's division of McCook's corps, approached by the Wilkinson Cross-road, joined Negley's right, McCook's two other divisions coming up on Sheridan's right, thus forming a continuous line, the left resting on Stone River, the right stretching in a westerly direction, and resting on high wooded ground, a short distance to the south of the Wilkinson Cross-road, and has since been ascertained, nearly parallel with the enemy's intrenchments, thrown up on the sloping land bordering on the north-west bank of Stone River. Rousseau's division (with the exception of Starkweather's brigade) being ordered up from Stewartsboro, reached the position occupied by the army about four P. M., and bivouacked on the Murfreesboro pike, in the rear of the centre. During the night of the thirtieth, I sent orders to Walker to take up a strong position near the turnpike bridge over Stewart's Creek, and defend the position against any attempts of the enemy's cavalry to destroy it. Rousseau was ordered to move by six A. M.. on the thirty-first, to a position in rear of Negley. This position placed his division with its left on the Murfreesboro pike, and its right extending into the cedar thicket, through which Negley had marched on the thirtieth.

In front of Negley's position, bordering a large open field, reaching to the Murfreesboro pike, a heavy growth of timber extended in a southerly direction toward the river. Across the field, running in an easterly direction, the enemy had thrown up rifle-pits at intervals from the timber to the river bank to the east side of the turn-pike. Along this line of intrenchments, on an eminence about eight hundred yards from Negley's position, and nearly in front of his left, some cannon had been placed, affording the enemy great advantage in covering an attack on our centre. However, Palmer, Negley, and Sheridan held the position their troops had so manfully won the morning of the thirtieth, against every attempt to drive them back, and remained in line of battle during the night.

Between six and seven A. M., the enemy having massed a heavy force on McCook's right during the night of the thirtieth, attacked and drove it back, pushing his divisions in pursuit in echelon, and in .supporting distance, until he had gained sufficient ground in our rear to wheel his masses to the right, and throw them upon the right flank of the centre, at the same moment attacking Negley and Palmer in front with a greatly superior force. To counteract this movement, I had ordered Rousseau to place two brigades, with a battery, to the right and rear of Sheridan's division, facing toward the west, so as to support Sheridan, should he be able to hold his [484] ground, or to cover him, should he be compelled to fall back. About eleven o'clock, General Sheridan reported to me that his ammunition was entirely out, and he would be compelled to fall back to get more. As it became necessary for General Sheridan to fall back, the enemy pressed on still further to our rear, and soon took up a position which gave them a concentrated cross-fire of musketry and cannon on Negley's and Rousseau's troops, at short range. This compelled me to fall back out of the cedar-woods, and take up a line along a depression in the open ground, within good musket range of the edge of the woods, while the artillery was retired to the high ground to the right of the turnpike. From this last position, we were enabled to drive back the enemy, and cover the formation of our troops and secure the centre on the high ground. In the execution of this last movement, the regular brigade, under Lieutenant-Colonel Shepard, Eighteenth United States infantry, came under a most murderous fire, losing twenty-two officers and five hundred and eight men in killed and wounded; but, with the co-operation of Scribner's and Beatty's (John) brigades, and Guenther's and Loomis' batteries, gallantly held its ground against overwhelming odds. The centre having succeeded in driving back the enemy from its front, our artillery, concentrating its fire on the cedar-thicket on our right, drove him back far under cover, from which, though attempting it, he could not make any advance.

Repeated attempts were made by the enemy to advance on our position, during the morning, but they were driven back before emerging from the woods. Colonel Starkweather's brigade, of Rousseau's division, and Walker's brigade, of Fry's division, having reinforced us during the night, took post on the right of Rousseau, and left of Sheridan, and bore their share in repelling the attempts of the enemy on the morning of the first instant.

Negley's divison was ordered, early in the day, to the support of McCook's right, in which position it remained during the night.

About seven A. M., the enemy opened a direct and cross-fire from his batteries in our front, and from a position on the east bank of Stone River, to our left and front, at the same time making a strong demonstration with infantry, resulting, however, in no serious attack. Our artillery — Loomis', Guenther's, Stokes', and another battery — the commander's name I can not now recall — soon drove back their infantry. Negley was withdrawn from the extreme right, and placed in reserve behind Crittenden's right. About four P. M., a division of Crittenden's command, which had crossed Stone River to reconnoitre, was attacked by an overwhelming force of the enemy, and, after a gallant resistance, compelled to fall back. The movements of the enemy having been observed, and reported by some of my troops in the centre, I sent orders to Negley to advance to the support of Crittenden's troops, should they want help. This order was obeyed in a most gallant style, and resulted in the complete annihilation of the Twenty-sixth Tennessee (rebel) regiment, and the capture of their flag. Also, in the capture of a battery, which the enemy had been forced to abandon at the point of the bayonet. (See Negley's report.)

Soon after daylight, the Forty-second Indiana, on picket in a clump of woods about eight hundred yards in front of our lines, was attacked by a brigade of the enemy, evidently by superior numbers, and driven in, with considerable loss. Lieutenant-Colonel Shanklin, commanding the regiment, was surrounded and taken prisoner, while gallantly endeavoring to draw off his men, under the fire of such superior numbers. From these woods, the enemy's sharpshooters continued to fire occasionally during the day, on our pickets.

About six P. M., two regiments from Colonel John Beatty's brigade, Rousseau's division, cooperating with two regiments of Spears' (Tennessee) brigade, of Negley's division, covered by the skilful and well-directed fire of Guenther's Fifth United States artillery, and Loomis' First Michigan battery, advanced on the woods and drove the enemy, not only from its cover, but from the intrenchments, a short distance beyond.

The enemy having retreated during the night of the third, our troops were occupied during the night of the fourth in burying the dead left on the field. In the afternoon, one brigade of Negley's division was advanced to the crossing of Stone River, with a brigade of Rousseau's division in supporting distance, in reserve.

My entire command, preceded by Stanley's cavalry, marched into Murfreesboro and took up the position which we now hold. The enemy's rear guard of cavalry was overtaken on the Shelbyville and Manchester roads, about five miles from Murfreesboro, and after sharp skirmishing for two or three hours, was driven from our immediate front.

The conduct of my command, from the time the army left Nashville to its entry into Murfreesboro, is deserving of the highest praise, both for their patient endurance of the fatigues and discomforts of a five days battle, and for the manly spirit exhibited by them in the various phases in this memorable contest. I refer you to the detailed reports of division commanders, for special mention of those officers and men of their commands whose conduct they thought worthy of particular notice.

All the members of my staff, Major G. E. Flynt, Assistant Adjutant-General; Lieutenant-Colonel A. Von Schrader, Seventy-fourth Ohio, Acting Inspector-General; Captain O. A. Mack, Thirteenth United States infantry, acting Chief [485] Commissary; and Captain A. J. Mackay, Chief Quartermaster, were actively employed in carrying orders to various parts of my command, and in the execution of the appropriate duties of their office. Captain O. A. Mack was dangerously wounded in the right hip and abdomen, while conveying orders from me to Major-General Rousseau. The officers of the Signal corps, attached to my headquarters, did excellent service in their appropriate sphere, when possible; and as Aids-de-Camp, carrying orders. My escort, composed of a select detail from the First Ohio cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Barker, of the same regiment, having been on duty with me for nearly a year, deserve commendation for the faithful performance of their appropriate duties. Private Gusteam was killed by a cannon shot, on the morning of January second. Surgeon C. D. Beebe deserves special mention for his efficient arrangements for moving the wounded from the field, and giving them immediate attention.

The details will be seen in the accompanying reports of division commanders.

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Colonel: In obedience to orders, I left camp near Nashville on the twenty-sixth of December, and reached the point where the battle of Stone River was fought, before dusk on the morning of the twenty-ninth. The march from Nashville was accompanied by the skirmishing usual when an army moves toward an enemy, posted near by and in force. The gallant and handsome things done by several different portions of my command during this march, have been mentioned in detail by the immediate commanders conducting the advance and leading the skirmishers. The seizure of two bridges, one by General Hascall, and the other by Colonel Hazen; the gallant charge of the troops of Hascall's brigade at Lavergne; and the counter-charge and capture of twenty-five of the enemy by a company of the new regiment, One Hundredth Illinois, when charged by the enemy's cavalry, are worthy of special notice.

It was about dusk, and just at the moment when Generals Wood and Palmer had halted to gather up their troops, that I reached the head of my command. These two Generals had their divisions in line of battle--General Wood on the left, and General Palmer on the right; the enemy in sight, and evidently in heavier force than we had yet encountered them, it was evident they intended to dispute the passage of the river and to fight a battle at or near Murfreesboro.

At this moment I received an order to occupy Murfreesboro with one division, camping the other two outside.

I immediately gave the order to advance, and the movement was commenced. General Wood was ordered to occupy the place, General Palmer being ordered, at General Wood's suggestion, to keep in line with Wood's division, and advance with him, until he had forced the passage of the river. At this time it was dark. General Wood had declared, when he received the order, that it was hazarding a great deal for very little, to move over unknown ground in the night, instead of awaiting for daylight, and that I ought to take the responsibility of disobeying the order. I thought the movement hazardous, but as the success of the whole army might depend on the prompt execution of orders by every officer, it was my duty to advance. After General Wood had issued the order to advance, and General Palmer had received his also, they both came to see me, and insisted that the order should not be carried out. I refused to rescind the order, but consented to suspend it for one hour, as General Rosecrans could be heard from in that time. During the interval the General himself came to the front, and approved of what I had done.

In the meantime, Colonel Harker, after a sharp skirmish, gallantly crossed the river with his brigade and Bradley's battery, and Hascall was already in the river advancing, when the order to suspend the movement was received. As soon as possible I recalled Harker, and, to my great satisfaction, this able officer, with consummate address, withdrew from the actual presence of a vastly superior force his artillery and troops, and recrossed the river without any serious loss. During the night General McCook came over to see the commanding General, and reported that he was on the Wilkinson pike, about three miles in the rear of our line, and that he should advance in the morning.

The next morning (the thirtieth) early, my line of battle was formed. Palmer's division occupied the ground to the right of the turn-pike, his right resting on Negley's left, Negley having advanced into the woods and taken a position in the centre, to take a position with General McCook when he should come into line. General Wood was to occupy that part of our front to the left of the turnpike, extending down the river. General Van Cleve was held in reserve to the rear and left. This position of our forces was, without material change, maintained all day, though the skirmishing during part of the day was very heavy, particularly on our extreme right, where McCook was coming up. Then, when it apparently assumed the proportion of a battle, I proposed to cross the river with my corps, and attack Murfreesboro from the left, by way of the Lebanon pike; but the General, though approving the plan of attack, would not consent that should move until McCook was more seriously engaged.

On the morning of the thirty-first, when the [486] battle began, I occupied the front near the turn-pike, General Palmer's division on the right, General Wood on the left, General Van Cleve in reserve to the rear and left. About eight o'clock, when my troops under Van Cleve were crossing the river, as ordered, and when all was ready for an advance movement, it became evident that our right was being driven back; orders were received and immediately issued recalling Van Cleve and stopping the advance; Van Cleve was ordered to leave a brigade to guard the ford — Matthews' brigade, Colonel Price commanding in Colonel Matthews' absence, was left — and to hurry with all possible dispatch to try and check the enemy to the right and rear. One brigade of his division, Colonel Fyffe's, had already been ordered to protect the train then threatened near the hospital, and General Van Cleve moved at once and quickly to the right with Beatty's brigade. He arrived most opportunely, as his own and Colonel Beatty's reports show, and checked the enemy. The confusion of our own troops, who were being driven from the woods at this point, hindered him, for some time, from forming his men in line of battle. This difficulty, however, was soon overcome, his line rapidly formed, and one small brigade, commanded by the gallant Colonel Beatty, of the Nineteenth Ohio, under the direction of General Van Cleve, boldly attacked vastly superior forces of the enemy then advancing in full career, checked their advance, and drove them back. Being soon reinforced by Fyffe's brigade and Harker's brigade, of Wood's division, the enemy were pressed vigorously, and too far. They came upon the enemy massed to receive them, who, outnumbering them and outflanking them, compelled them to fall back in turn. This they did in good order, and fighting with such effect that the enemy drew off and left them, and they were able to hold their position during the remainder of the day. From this time the great object of the enemy seemed to be to break our left and front, where, under great disadvantages, my two divisions, under Generals Wood and Palmer, maintained their ground.

When the troops composing the centre and right wing of our army had been driven by the enemy from our original line of battle to a line almost perpendicular to it, the First and Second divisions of the left wing still nobly maintained their position. Though several times assaulted by the enemy in great force, it was evident that it was vital to us that this position should be held, at least until our troops, who had been driven back, could establish themselves on their new line. The country is deeply indebted to Generals Wood and Palmer for the sound judgment, skill, and courage with which they managed their commands at this important crisis in the battle. The reports of my division commanders show how nobly and how ably they were supported by their officers; and the most melancholy and convincing proof of the bravery of all who fought in this part of the field is their terrible list of killed and wounded, for with them was no rout, no confusion; the men who fell, fell fighting in the ranks.

Generals Wood and Van Cleve being wounded on the thirty-first, their commands devolved, of course, on other officers--General Hascall taking command of Wood's division, and Colonel Beatty of Van Cleve's, on the first day of January. It was a fortunate thing that competent and gallant officers took command of these two noble divisions.

On the night of the thirty-first, with the consent of the General commanding, I reunited my command, bringing them all together on the left of the turnpike, and before daylight, by orders from the General commanding, we took up a new line of battle, about five hundred yards to the rear of our former line; Hascall's division was ordered to rest their right on the position occupied by Stokes' battery, and his left on General Palmer's right; General Palmer was to rest his left on the ford, his right extending toward the railroad, and perpendicular to it, thus bringing the line at right angles to the railroad and turnpike, and extending from Stokes' battery to the ford. On the morning of the first of January, Van Cleve's division again crossed the river, and took position on ground the General considered it important we should hold, extending from the ford about half a mile from the river, the right resting on high ground near the river, and the left thrown forward, so that the direction of the line should be nearly perpendicular to it. These changes in position having been accomplished, the day passed quietly, except continued skirmishing and occasional artillery firing. The next day (January second) large forces of the enemy's infantry and artillery were seen to pass to the right apparently contemplating an attack. Lieutenant Livingston, with Drury's battery, was ordered over the river, and Colonel Grose's brigade, of Palmer's division, was also crossed over, taking post on the hill near the hospital, so as to protect the left and rear of Beatty's position.

About four o'clock on the evening of the second, a sudden and concentrated attack was made on the Third division, now commanded by Colonel Beatty; several batteries opened at the same time on their division.

The overwhelming numbers of the enemy directed upon two brigades, forced them, after a bloody but short conflict, back to the river. The object of the enemy (it is since ascertained) was to take the battery which we had on that side of the river. In this attempt it is most likely they would have succeeded, but for the sound judgment and wise precaution of Colonel Beatty, in changing the position of his battery. It was so late when the attack was made that the enemy, failing in their enterprise to capture our battery, were sure of not suffering any great disaster in case of a repulse, because night would protect them. They not only failed to capture our battery, but lost four of their guns in their repulse and flight. As soon as it became evident that the enemy were driving Colonel [487] Beatty, I turned to my Chief of Artillery, Captain John Mendenhall, and said, “Now, Mendenhall, you must cover my men with your cannon.” Without any show of excitement or haste, almost as soon as the order was given, the batteries began to open, so perfectly had he placed them. In twenty minutes from the time the order was received, fifty-two guns were firing upon the enemy. They cannot be said to have been checked in their advance; from a rapid advance they broke at once into a rapid retreat. Reinforcements soon began to arrive; our troops crossed the river and pursued the flying enemy until dark.

It is a pleasant thing to report that the officers and men from the centre and right wing hurried to the support of the left wing, when it was known to be hard pressed. General J. C. Davis sent a brigade at once without orders, then applied for and obtained orders to follow immediately with his division. General Negley, from the centre, crossed with a part of his division. General McCook, to whom I applied for a brigade, not knowing of Davis' movement, ordered immediately Colonel Gibson to go with his brigade, and the Colonel and the brigade passed at double-quick in less than five minutes after the request was made. Honor is due to such men. On the night of the second, General Hascall, with his division, and General Davis with his, camped a little in advance of the position which Beatty had occupied. General Palmer, commanding the Second division, camped with two brigades in reserve to Hascall's and Davis' divisions, and the remaining brigade, on this side of the river. In this position these troops remained until Saturday night, when the river beginning to rise, and the rain continuing to fall, it was feared we might be separated from the rest of the army, and all re-crossed the river except Palmer's two brigades, which remained, and did not come back until it was ascertained the next day (Sunday) that the enemy had evacuated Murfreesboro.

I feel that this report of the part taken by my command in the battle of Stone River is very imperfect. I have only endeavored to give a general outline of the most important features of the battle. The reports, however, of the division commanders, and the report of the Chief of Artillery, give a detailed and good account of the memorable incidents which occurred in this particular fight.

Reports of the division commanders show how nobly they were sustained by their subordinate officers, and all reports show how nobly the troops behaved. Generals Wood and Van Cleve, though wounded early in the battle of the thirty-first, remained in the saddle and on the field throughout the day, and at night were ordered to the rear; General Palmer, exposing himself everywhere and freely, escaped unhurt, and commanded the Second division throughout the battle. To these division commanders, I return my most earnest and heartfelt thanks, for the brave, prompt, and able manner in which they executed every order, and I most urgently present their names to the commanding General and to the Government, as having fairly earned promotion.

After the thirty-first, General Hascall commanded Wood's division, the First, and Colonel Beatty the Second, Van Cleve's. To these officers I am indebted for the same cheerful and prompt obedience to orders, the same brave support which I received from their predecessors in command; and I also respectfully present their names to the commanding General and the Government, as having earned promotion on the field of battle.

There are numerous cases of distinguished conduct in the brigade as well as regimental commanders, mentioned by my division commanders as meriting promotion. I respectfully refer the General commanding to division, brigade, and regimental reports, and solicit for the gallant officers and men who have distinguished themselves for conduct and bravery in battle, the honors they have won. We have officers who have commanded brigades for almost a year, though they have but the rank of Colonel; in such cases, and in all like cases, as where a Lieutenant commands a company, it seems, if the officers have capacity for their commands on the field, that they should have the rank the command is entitled to. The report of Captain Mendenhall, Chief of Artillery to the left wing, shows the efficiency, skill, and daring with which our artillery officers handled their batteries. Division and brigade commanders vie with each other in commendation upon different batteries. Some of the batteries, fighting as they did in parts of the field, won praises from all. To these officers, also, attention is called, with a sincere hope that they may be rewarded as their valor and bearing deserves.

Major Lyne Starling, Assistant Adjutant-General to the left wing, has been, for nearly eighteen months, the most indefatigable officer I ever knew in his department. His services to me are invaluable. On the field here, as at Shiloh, he was distinguished, even among so many brave men, for his daring and efficiency. Captain R. Loder, Inspector-General for the left wing, has entitled himself to my lasting gratitude, by his constant and able management of his department. It is sufficient to say that the gallant and lamented Colonel Garesche told him, in my presence, but a short time before the battle, that he had proved himself to be the best Inspector-General in the army. On the field of battle bravery was added to the same efficiency and activity which marked his conduct in the camp.

Captain John Mendenhall, who has been mentioned already as Chief of Artillery to my command, but of whom too much cannot be said, is also Topographical Engineer on my staff. In this capacity, as in all where he works, the work is well and faithfully done. His services at Shiloh, of which I was an eye-witness; his splendid conduct as Chief of Artillery to the left wing; [488] his uniform soldierly bearing, point him out as eminently qualified for promotion.

To the Medical Director of the left wing, Dr. A. J. Phelps, the thanks of the army and the country are due, not only for his prompt attention to the wounded, but for his arrangements for their immediate accommodation. He took good care not only of the wounded of my command, but of more than two thousand wounded from other corps, and from the enemy. Since the battle, I have visited his hospitals, and can bear testimony to the efficiency of the Medical Department of the left wing.

Captain Louis M. Buford and Lieutenant George Knox, my Aids-de-Camp, were brave, active, and efficient helps to me all through the battle. Captain Buford was struck just over the heart, fortunately, by a ball too far spent to penetrate, and which only bruised. The Captain and Lieutenant Knox were frequently exposed to the heaviest firing, as they fearlessly carried my orders to all parts of the field.

Captain Case, of the Signal corps, tendered his services as a volunteer Aid, and proved himself a bold soldier and an efficient Aid. Two other officers of the same corps, Lieutenants------and------, tendered their services as Aids, and were placed on my staff during the battle, and I thank them sincerely for their services.

Lieutenant Brown, of the Third Kentucky cavalry, who commanded my escort, was as quietly brave on the battle-field as he is mild and gentlemanly in the camp.

Before concluding this report, it will be proper to add, that when I speak of a quiet day, I mean to speak comparatively. We had no quiet days; no rest from the time we reached the battle-field until the enemy fled, skirmishing constantly, and sometimes terrible cannonading. On the second, which we call a quiet day, until about four o'clock P. M., the First division, under Hascall, lay for half an hour, in the early part of the day, under the heaviest cannonading we endured. Many men were killed, but he and his brave soldiers would not flinch.

The number of killed and wounded demonstrates with what fearful energy and earnestness the battle was contested in my command.

Most respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Major: I have the honor to submit for the information of the General commanding the army, the following statement of the part taken by the cavalry under my command in the advance upon and battle of Murfreesboro:

Upon the twenty-sixth day of December, I divided the cavalry into three columns, putting the First brigade, commanded by Colonel Minty, Fourth Michigan cavalry, upon the Murfreesboro pike, in advance of General Crittenden's corps. The Second brigade, commanded by Colonel Zahn, Third Ohio cavalry, was ordered on Franklin, to dislodge the enemy's cavalry, and move parallel to General McCook's corps, protecting his right flank. The reserve cavalry, consisting of the new regiments, viz.: Anderson troop, First Middle Tennessee, Second East Tennessee cavalry, and four companies of the Third Indiana, I commanded in person, and preceded General McCook's corps on the Nolensville pike.

Colonel John Kennett, commanding cavalry division, commanded the cavalry on the Murfreesboro pike. For the operations of this column, and also the movements of Colonel Zahn up to the thirty-first of December, I would refer you to the inclosed reports of Colonel Kennett, and Colonels Zahn and Minty.

On the morning of the twenty-sixth, our cavalry first encountered the enemy on the Nolensville pike, one mile in advance of Balle Jack Pass; their cavalry was in large force, and accompanied by a battery of artillery. The fighting continued from ten o'clock until evening, during which time we had driven the enemy two miles beyond Lavergne. The Third Indiana and Anderson troop behaved gallantly, charging the enemy twice, and bringing them to hand-and-hand encounters. The conduct of Majors Rosengarten and Ward, the former now deceased, was most heroic. On the twenty-eighth we made a reconnoissance to College Grove, and found that Hardee's rebel corps had marched to Murfreesboro.

On the twenty-ninth, Colonel Zahn's brigade having formed, was directed to march upon Murfreesboro by the Franklin road; the reserve cavalry moving on the Balle Jack road, the column communicating at the crossing of Stewart's Creek. We encountered the enemy's cavalry, and found them in strong force at Wilkinson's Cross-roads. Our cavalry drove them rapidly across Overall's Creek, and within one-half mile of the enemy's line of battle. The Anderson cavalry behaved most gallantly this day, pushing at full charge upon the enemy for six miles; unfortunately their advance fronted too recklessly; having dispersed their cavalry, the troop fell upon two regiments of rebel infantry in ambush, and after a gallant struggle were compelled to retire, with the loss of Major Rosengarten and six men killed, and the brave Major Ward and five men desperately wounded. With the loss of these two most gallant officers, the spirit of the “Anderson troop,” which gave such full promise, seems to have died out, and I have not been able to get any duty out of them since.

On the thirtieth the entire cavalry force was engaged in guarding the flanks of the army in position. Some small cavalry skirmishing occurred, but nothing of importance. At eleven o'clock P. M., the thirtieth, I marched for Lavergne, with the First Tennessee and the Anderson cavalry. Near that place I was joined by detachments of the Fourth Michigan and Seventh Pennsylvania cavalry. At half-past 9 o'clock [489] on the thirty-first, I received an order from the General commanding, directing me to hasten to the right. I made all possible speed, leaving a strong detachment to protect the trains crossing the road at Stewartsboro, and to pick up stragglers. Upon arriving upon the right flank of the army, I found order restored, and took position on General McCook's right, my right extending toward Wilkinson's Cross-roads, occupying the woods about the meeting-house and Overall's Creek. In this position we were attacked, about four o'clock P. M., by a long line of foot.skirmishers. My first impression was that these were covered infantry, but I soon learned that they were dismounted cavalry. We successfully held them at bay for half an hour with the Fourth Michigan and Seventh Pennsylvania dismounted, when, being outflanked, I ordered our line to mount and fall back to the open field. The enemy followed here, and, being reinforced by detachments of the Anderson and Third Kentucky cavalry, and by the First Tennessee, we charged the enemy and put him to rout. The cavalry held the same position this night they had taken upon my arrival upon the field. About nine o'clock New Year's morning, the enemy showed a line of skirmishers in the woods to our front, and soon after brought a six-gun battery to bear upon my cavalry. As we could not reach the enemy's skirmishers nor reply to his artillery, I ordered my cavalry to fall back. A part of Zahn's brigade marched this day to Nashville, to protect our trains. Colonel Zahn's report is inclosed.

The second and third of January the cavalry was engaged in watching the flanks of our position. On the fourth it became evident that the enemy had fled; the cavalry was collected and moved to the fords of Stone River. Upon the fifth we entered Murfreesboro. Zahn's brigade marched in pursuit of the enemy on the Shelbyville pike six miles, finding no opposition. With the remainder of the. cavalry, I marched on the Manchester pike, and encountered the enemy in heavy force at Lytle's Creek, three and a half miles from town. We fought with this force till near sundown, pushing them from one cedar-brake to another, when, being reinforced by General Spears' brigade of East Tennesseeans, we drove the enemy out of his last stand in disorder. We returned after dusk and encamped on Lytle's Creek. Our troops all behaved well. The skirmishing was of a very severe character.

The Fourth United States cavalry, which was this day first under my control, behaved very handsomely. Captain Otis' command acted independently until the fifth instant, when they came under my command.

The duty of the cavalry was very arduous. From the twenty-sixth of December till the fourth of January, the saddles were only taken off to groom, and were immediately replaced.

Respectfully submitted,

Sir: I have the honor to submit to you the reports of the part taken in the fighting of the two brigades composing the First cavalry division from December twenty-sixth, 1862, up to the night of January fifth, 1863, from Nashville to Murfreesboro, and six miles beyond Murfreesboro, on the Manchester and Shelbyville pikes.

On leaving Nashville the Second brigade, under Colonel Zahn, took the road to Franklin; Brigadier-General D. S. Stanley, with the First and Second Tennessee cavalry and Anderson troop, taking the Nolensville pike. The First brigade, Colonel Minty commanding, under my charge, took the Murfreesboro pike. I reported my command to General Palmer, who placed us in advance. Our skirmishers drove the enemy some five miles. The afternoon was well spent when General Palmer relieved us with infantry skirmishers. The cavalry forming the reserve on the right and left flanks, the First brigade marched directly as a reserve to the advance skirmishers of the army composing the left wing, on their flanks, up to December thirtieth, 1862.

On December thirty-first, 1862, we were posted as reserves on the flanks, throwing out our skirmishers and vedettes, watching the movements of the enemy. We performed a variety of duty as scouts on the different avenues leading to our camp and connecting with the roads centring upon Nashville, Tennessee--flankers, vedettes, couriers — engaging the enemy daily on the right flank.

Some few incidents which could not have fallen under the eye of the brigade commanders, having occurred under my immediate notice, I beg leave to append.

When the enemy charged upon our wing, scattering a few regiments, who stampeded to the rear, I received orders from General Rosecrans, in person, to collect all the cavalry at my command, and proceed to rally the right wing and drive the enemy away. I found Colonel Murray, of the Third Kentucky, in command of about a squadron of men. With that we made our way to the right. We found a complete stampede-infantry, cavalry, and artillery, rushing to the rear, and the rebel cavalry charging upon our retiring forces on the Murfreesboro pike. Colonel Murray, with great intrepidity, engaged the enemy toward the skirts of the wood, and drove them in three charges. His men behaved like old veterans. Between his command and the field, was filled with rushing rebel cavalry charging upon our retreating cavalry and infantry, holding many of our soldiers as prisoners.

I rallied the Third Ohio, some two companies, who were falling back, and formed them in the rear of a fence, where volley after volley had the effect of driving back the rebels on the run, the Third Ohio charging upon them effectually, thereby relieving the pike of their presence, [490] saving the train, one piece of artillery, and rescuing from their grasp many of our men taken as prisoners. One of my staff, Lieutenant Rielly, being a prisoner in their hands, was released. Lieutenant Murray, of the Third Ohio, displayed energy, courage, and coolness upon this occasion, in executing my orders. I also take great pride in mentioning the prompt manner with which my staff conveyed my orders in all these engagements.

Two of my orderlies displayed high order of chivalry. Jaggers charged upon two rebel cavalry, rescuing two men of the Fourth Ohio volunteer cavalry, who were being taken off as prisoners. The other, Farrish, shot two of the rebels, and came to my rescue in a personal encounter with a rebel, who was in the act of levelling his pistol at my head, but he found a carbine levelled into his own face, and at my order to surrender, he delivered his pistols, carbine, and horse to me. They both deserve promotion, and would make good officers.

The able and undaunted spirit and ability which Colonel Minty has displayed whenever coming under my eye, I take great satisfaction in noticing. The officers and men all displayed great self-sacrifice. Major Wynkoop, of the Seventh Pennsylvania, commanding, and Lieutenant Wooley, Adjutant-General of the First brigade, carried out every order with unhesitating energy and will, displaying the highest order of gallantry.

Captain E. Otis, of the Fourth regular cavalry, although he does not belong to my division, but being posted on the left wing of our skirmishers on the march on the Manchester road, I feel it my duty as well as take great pleasure in stating he is an able and .efficient officer.

Brigadier-General D. S. Stanley being in command of the forces pursuing the retiring rebels on the march, it fell to my lot to convey and see his orders executed. Before closing this report it is my duty to make honorable mention of the meritorious conduct of Lieutenant Newell, commanding a section of artillery attached to my division. During the first day's engagement near Lavergne, he placed his two pieces on well-selected ground, and did great execution, killing three horses, dismounting seven, and scattering the rebel cavalry by his well and timely aimed shots. He has on several occasions displayed talents of the first order as an artillerist.

It would not be amiss at this time to state that my entire command were short of rations, performing duty, night and day, in the wet field without shelter, exposed to the wet, cold, and hunger, without a murmur. Major Paransom, of the Third Ohio, displayed great presence of mind and determination in maintaining his position on the right flank with his battalion, to cover an ammunition train, long after the cavalry on his right had been driven away by the enemy's shells.

Your obedient servant,

I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Second division, under my command, beginning December twenty-sixth, 1862, the day upon which it left Nashville, and terminating on January sixth, 1863:

Agreeably to orders, the divisions of the right wing of the Fourteenth army corps marched from their camps near Nashville, taking the Nolensville pike, and arrived in that village the same day, at four o'clock P. M. On the following day the same divisions, with mine in advance, marched to Triune. The rebel rearguard contested the ground inch by inch, and the day was passed constantly skirmishing with them, with no loss on our side, but several casualties on their part. Triune was occupied by my division about four P. M. The following day (December twenty-eighth), the command remained in Triune. A reconnoissance, to ascertain the direction the enemy had retreated, was made by a brigade of my command, commanded by Brigadier-General A. Willich. It having ascertained that the enemy had retreated toward Murfreesboro, I was ordered to leave a brigade at Triune, and. on the twenty-ninth to march on Murfreesboro on what is known as the Balle Jack road. Colonel P. P. Baldwin, Third brigade, was left at Triune. The command arrived at Wilkinson's Cross-roads about eight P. M., on the twenty-ninth, and an order sent at once to Colonel Baldwin to move forward his brigade, which arrived early on the afternoon of the thirtieth. My division was in reserve on the twenty-ninth. On the following morning, December thirtieth, General Sheridan's division was ordered to advance in line of battle, covering the Wilkinson pike, while General Davis' division marched in the same order, on the right of General Sheridan. My division, being held in reserve, was marched in column on the pike. There being no troops on General Davis' right, and General Sheridan's left being guarded by General Crittenden's left wing (N. B.--Negley's division of centre), I was ordered to oblique to the right, covering the right of General Davis' division. About two o'clock P. M., I received an order from Major-General McCook to look well to my right, as General Hardee (rebel), with his corps, was on the right flank of our column. I ordered the Second brigade, Brigadier-General E. N. Kirk commanding, to take position with his brigade, his left resting against the right of General Davis, his right refused so as to coyer our right flank. About dark I placed General Willich's on the right of Kirk's, refusing his right, and directed a heavy line of skirmishers to be thrown forward, connecting on the left with those of General Davis, and extending to the right and rear, near the Wilkinson pike. This line of skirmishers was thrown forward about six hundred yards, and [491] near those of the enemy. My Third brigade, Colonel Baldwin commanding, was held in reserve. In consultation with General McCook, late in the afternoon of the thirtieth, he informed me that he had reliable information to the effect that the centre of the rebel line of battle was opposite to our extreme right, and that we would probably be attacked by the entire rebel army early on the following morning. His prediction proved true. He also informed me that he had communicated this information to the commanding General. I expected a change in the programme for the following day, but none was made. My brigade commanders were called together, and the operations of the following day fully explained to them. Every arrangement was made for an attack. Two gallant and experienced officers commanded my two advance brigades, and every precaution was taken against surprise.

At twenty-two minutes past six o'clock on the morning of the thirty-first, the outposts in front of my division were driven in by an overwhelming force of infantry, outnumbering my forces greatly, and known to contain about thirty-five thousand men. At the same time my extreme right was attacked by the enemy's cavalry. The gallant Kirk and Willich soon opened up a heavy fire of musketry and artillery on the advancing columns, causing wavering in the ranks; but fresh columns would soon replace them, and it was apparent that to fall back was a “military necessity.” Edgarton's battery, after firing three rounds, had so many of his horses killed as to render it unmanageable. He, however, remained with it, and continued to fire, until he fell by a severe wound, and he and his battery fell into the hands of the enemy. Before falling back, the horse of General Willich was killed, and he was wounded and taken prisoner. About the same time, General Kirk received a severe wound, which disabled him. Seeing the pressure upon my lines, I ordered up my reserve brigade, under the gallant Baldwin. The troops of his brigade advanced promptly, and delivered their fire, holding their ground for some time; but they, too, were compelled to fall back. The troops of this division, for the first time, were compelled to yield the field temporarily, but the heroes of Shiloh and Perryville did not abandon their ground until forced to do so by the immense masses of the enemy hurled against them, and then inch by inch.

The ground over which the division passed, covered with the enemy's dead and those of our own men, shows that the field was warmly contested. Several times the lines were re-formed and resistance offered; but the columns of the enemy were too heavy for a single line, and ours would have to yield. Finally the left flank of my division reached the line of General Rousseau's, when it was re-formed and fought until out of ammunition, but my efficient Ordnance Officer, Lieutenant Murdoch, had a supply in readiness, which was soon issued, and the division assisted in driving the enemy from the field in their last desperate struggle of the day. Soon the curtain of darkness fell upon the scene of blood, and all was quiet, awaiting the coming of morn to renew hostilities.

Morning came, but the enemy had withdrawn. January first was a day of comparative quiet in camp, few shots being fired, but many preparations made for a heavy battle on the following day. General Crittenden's wing was attacked in force on the second, and one of my brigades, Colonel Gibson's, was sent to reinforce them. For the gallant part taken by it reference is made to the report of Major-General Crittenden. The enemy evacuated Murfreesboro on the night of the third. On the sixth I was ordered to move my camp to a point on the Shelbyville road, four miles south of Murfreesboro.

The conduct of the officers and men under my command was good. The Louisville Legion, under the command of the gallant Lieutenant-Colonel Berry, brought off by hand one cannon, after the horses were killed. They yielded the ground only when overpowered, offering an obstinate resistance at every point. Some few in each regiment, becoming panic-stricken, fled to Nashville for safety. Captain Simonson managed his battery with skill and courage, and with it did good execution. He lost two guns, but not until the horses had been killed and the guns disabled. Goodspeed's battery lost three guns and quite a number of horses. This battery was handled well and did good execution, under Lieutenant Belden.

After the capture of General Willich, his brigade was commanded temporarily by Colonel Wallace, of the Fifteenth Ohio, but was afterward commanded by Colonel W. H. Gibson, Forty-ninth Ohio. General Kirk becoming disabled was replaced by Colonel Dodge, Thirtieth Indiana, while the Third brigade was commanded by Colonel Baldwin. These four Colonels have demonstrated their fitness for command on several bloody fields, and are recommended to my superiors for promotion. Their coolness and courage rendered them conspicuous throughout the bloody engagement. Major Klein and his battalion of the Third Indiana cavalry, deserve special mention; under their gallant leader, the battalion was always in front, and rendered efficient service.

To Captains Barker, Hooker, Thurston, and McLeland; Lieutenants Taft, Hills, and Sheets, of my staff, many thanks are due for their efficiency and promptness in carrying orders to all parts of the field. My Medical Director, Surgeon Marks, and the medical officers of the division, were untiring in their exertions to alleviate the sufferings of the wounded, and to them my thanks are due. My escort, composed of the following named men of the Third Kentucky cavalry, who accompanied me throughout the engagement, deserve special mention for their good conduct: Sergeant Wm. C. Miles; privates Geo. Long, Thomas Salyers, John Christian, John Whitten, James Bowen, B. Hammerslein, R. A. Novah. [492]

Private Bowen's horse was killed by a cannon ball.

The loss of the division was as follows: Killed, 260; wounded, 1,005; missing, 1,280; total, 2,545.

The missing are supposed to have been captured.

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Major: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the division under my command, in the recent operations against the enemy's forces in the vicinity of Triune and Murfreesboro:

On the morning of the twenty-sixth ult., in compliance with instructions received from the General commanding the right wing, I broke up camp at St. James' Chapel, on Mill Creek, and advanced upon Nolensville via the Edmonson pike, as far as Prim's blacksmith shop; from thence my advance was over a rugged country road, rendered almost impassable by the incessant rain which had been falling in torrents during the entire morning.

The enemy's pickets were discovered by my cavalry escort (composed of Company B, Thirty-sixth Illinois volunteers, under command of Captain Shirer), within a few miles of our camp. This small force of cavalry being the only mounted force under our command, I ordered them to the front, with instructions to drive in the enemy's pickets, and to attack him on his flanks at every opportunity. So effectually was this done that the infantry and artillery were enabled to move with little interruption to within a mile of Nolensville. By this time I had learned from reliable information, through citizens as well as cavalry scouts, that the enemy occupied the town in some force both of cavalry and artillery.

The First brigade, consisting of the Twenty-second Indiana, Seventy-fourth, Seventy-fifth, and Fifty-ninth Illinois regiments, and the Fifth Wisconsin battery, commanded by Colonel P. Sidney Post, was immediately deployed for an advance upon the town. Pinney's Fifth Wisconsin battery was posted so as to command the town and all approaches from the south-west. The enemy's cavalry was seen by this time taking position on a range of hills south-west of town, and was evidently attempting to flank our position. A few shells from Pinney's battery soon caused them to fall back. A battery which by this time they had succeeded in getting into position, opened fire, but was after a few rounds silenced by Pinney's guns.

The Second brigade, consisting of the Twenty-first and Thirty-eighth Illinois, Fifteenth Wisconsin, and One Hundred and First Ohio regiments, and the Second Minnesota battery, commanded by Colonel Carlin, had by this time formed a line of battle on Post's right, and moving rapidly forward soon engaged the enemy's dismounted cavalry in a sharp skirmish.

The Third brigade, consisting of the Twenty-fifth and Thirty-fifth Illinois, Eighty-first Indiana, and the Eighth Wisconsin battery, commanded by Colonel Woodruff, was deployed on the right, so as to check any effort which might be made to attack my flank from this direction. Carlin advanced in excellent order, driving everything before him until ordered to halt, having dislodged the enemy from his position entirely.

By this time I ascertained that the enemy would probably make another effort to resist our advance about two miles further on, and notwithstanding it was late in the afternoon, and the men were much fatigued from a hard day's march through rain and mud, I could not forego the opportunity thus offered in giving them another chance to signalize their courage and endurance. Ascertaining the enemy's position as well as I could, I ordered the advance. Their lines were soon discovered, occupying a range of high rocky hills, through which the Nolensville and Triune pike passes, known as “Knob's Gap.” This was a favorable position to the enemy, and well guarded by artillery, which opened fire at long range upon Carlin's lines.

Hotchkiss' and Pinney's batteries were rapidly brought into action and opened fire, while Carlin's brigade charged the battery, carried the heights in his front and captured two guns. Post's brigade carried the heights on the left of the road with but little resistance, while Woodruff's brigade drove in the enemy's skirmishers on the extreme right.

The day had now closed, and I ordered the troops to bivouac in accordance with instructions from the General commanding, who arrived at this time upon the ground, followed by Generals Sheridan's and Johnson's divisions.

The steady courage and soldierly zeal displayed on this occasion by both officers and men, gave ample assurance of what could be expected of them in the coming struggle at Murfreesboro.

On the twenty-seventh, in accordance with the General's instructions, the division took position at the junction of the Balle Jack road with the Nolensville pike, one mile from Triune, where it remained in bivouac until the morning of the twenty-ninth, at which time the advance was resumed. In compliance with instructions, I moved forward on the Balle Jack as far as Stewart's Creek, a few miles beyond which it was reported by our cavalry the enemy had shown himself in considerable force. The General commanding, arriving at this time in person at the head of the column, ordered a halt until the division in the rear could be brought up.

Brigadier-General Stanley, commanding the [493] cavalry in advance, soon reported the road clear, and the march was resumed without obstruction, until the entire command reached the Wilkinson pike, six miles from Murfreesboro.

The division bivouacked during the night at Overall's Creek, three and a half miles from Murfreesboro, the left brigade resting on the Wilkinson pike. On the morning of the thirtieth, the division moved .forward and took position on General Sheridan's right, about three hundred yards south of and parallel to the Wilkinson pike, in which position it remained until two o'clock P. M. A few companies of skirmishers thrown to the front, in a skirt of timber land, soon found those of the enemy, and for several hours a brisk skirmish was kept up with varying results.

About two o'clock P. M., the General commanding ordered a general advance of the whole line. This the enemy seemed at first disposed to resist only with his skirmishers; gradually, however, as both parties strengthened their lines of skirmishers, the contest became more animated. Our main lines steadily advanced, occupying and holding the ground gained by the skirmishers, until about half an hour before sunset, when the enemy's position was plainly discovered running diagonally across the old Murfreesboro and Franklin road. The enemy's batteries now announced our close proximity to their lines. Carpenter's and Hotchkiss's batteries were soon brought into opposition and opened fire. Woodruft's and Carlin's brigades by this time felt the fire of the enemy's main lines and responded in the most gallant manner.

Post's brigade, moving steadily forward on the right, after a most obstinate resistance on the part of the enemy, succeeded in driving his skirmishers from a strong position in our front, forcing them to retire upon their main lines. Night soon brought a close to the conflict. Receiving directions at this time, from General McCook, to desist from any further offensive demonstration than what might be necessary to hold my position, 1 ordered the troops to rest for the night on their arms. Two brigades of General Johnson's division, heretofore held in reserve, arrived and took position on my right about sunset, thus extending our line of battle beyond the old Franklin and Murfreesboro road. These brigades were commanded by Generals Willich and Kirk.

The night passed off quietly until about day-light, when the enemy's forces were observed by our pickets to be in motion. Their object could not, however, with certainty be determined until near sunrise, when a vigorous attack was made upon Willich's and Kirk's brigades. These troops seemed not to have been fully prepared for the assault, and, with little or no resistance, retreated from their position, leaving their artillery in the hands of the enemy. This left my right brigade exposed to a flank movement, which the enemy was now rapidly executing, and compelled me to order Post's brigade to fall back and partially change its front. Simultaneous with this movement the enemy commenced a heavy and very determined attack on both Carlin's and Woodruff's brigades.

These brigades were fully prepared for the attack, and received it with veteran courage. The conflict was fierce in the extreme on both sides. Our loss was heavy, and that of the enemy no less. It was, according to my observations, the best contested point of the day, and would have been held but for the overwhelming force moving so persistently against my right. Carlin finding his right flank being severely pushed and threatened with being turned, ordered his troops to retire. Woodruff's brigade succeeded in repulsing the enemy, and holding its position until the withdrawal of the troops on both its flanks compelled it to retire.

Pinney's battery, which was posted in an open field upon my extreme right, and ordered to be supported by a part of Post's brigade, now opened a destructive fire upon the enemy's advancing lines. This gallant and distinguished battery, supported by the Twenty-second Indiana and Fifty-ninth Illinois regiments, together with a brigade of General Johnson's division, commanded by Colonel Baldwin (Sixth Indiana volunteers), for a short time brought the enemy to a check on our right. Hotchkiss's battery had also, by this time, taken an excellent position near the Wilkinson pike, so as to command the enemy's approach across a large cotton-field in his front, over which he was now advancing. The infantry, however, contrary to expectations, failed to support this battery, and after firing a few rounds was forced to retire. In accordance with instructions received during the night, announcing the plan of operations for the day, I desisted from any further attempts to engage the enemy except by skirmishers thrown to the rear for that purpose, until my lines had reached within a few hundred yards of the Nashville and Murfreesboro pikes, when I again determined to re-form my lines to resist his further advance. To this order but few of the regiments responded, their ranks being much thinned by killed and wounded, and not a few availed themselves of the favorable opportunity offered by the dense woods through which we were compelled to pass, to skulk like cowards from the ranks.

The reserve force here moved to the front, and relieved my command from any further participation in the engagement until late in the afternoon, when, in compliance with instructions, I took position on the right. My skirmishers were immediately thrown out, and soon engaged the enemy's, until night brought a close to hostilities for the day.

During the first and second of January, the division occupied this position in skirmishing with the enemy's pickets until late in the afternoon of the second, when I received orders from General Rosecrans to hasten to the support of a part of General Crittenden's command, who had been some time hotly engaged with the enemy across the river, on our extreme left. [494]

Moving as rapidly as possible across the river to the field of battle, I found our gallant troops forcing the enemy back on his reserves. The brigade of Colonel Woodruff, being in the advance, only arrived in time to participate in the general engagement.

After relieving the troops of General Palmer and Colonel Beatty, and particularly the brigade of Colonel Hazen, which had so nobly vindicated their courage in the then closing conflict, I ordered a heavy line of skirmishers to be thrown out. The enemy's lines were soon encountered, and a renewal of the engagement seemed imminent. A few rounds of grape and canister from one of our batteries, however, caused them to withdraw, and night again brought a cessation of hostilities.

During the night I disposed of my troops in such manner as would best enable me to repel an attack, and, in compliance with instructions, I directed rifle-pits and breastworks to be thrown up. This was done, and morning found us well prepared for any emergency, either offensive or defensive.

The following day (third of January), considerable skirmishing was kept up without abatement, from early in the morning until dark. During the night, I received orders from General Crittenden to withdraw my command from the east bank of the river, and to report with it to General McCook.

This movement was executed between one and four o'clock in the morning, during which time the rain fell incessantly. The pickets about this time reported the enemy as having been very active in their movements during the latter part of the night, and their convictions that he was evacuating his position. Further observations made after daylight proved this to be the case.

The following list of casualties shows a loss in the division during the several engagements above described, as follows:

officers.
Killed	16
Wounded	34
Missing	2	--	52
enlisted men.
Killed	176
Wounded	784
Missing	399	--	1,359
Total			1,411

This division lost three pieces of artillery, and captured two. In the list of officers killed, are the names of Colonel Stem, One Hundred and First Ohio; Colonel Williams, Twenty-fifth Illinois; Lieutenant-Colonel Wooster, One Hundred and First Ohio; Lieutenant-Colonel McKee, Fifteenth Wisconsin; Captain Carpenter, Eighth Wisconsin battery, and Captain McCulloch, Second Kentucky cavaly, of my staff, whose noble deeds of valor on the field, had already placed their names on the list of brave men. The history of the war will record no brighter names, and the country will mourn the loss of no more devoted patriots than these.

Among the wounded are Colonel Alexander, Twenty-first Illinois ; Lieutenant-Colonel Tanner, Twenty-second Indiana; Captain Pinney, Fifth Wisconsin battery, and Captain Austin, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, on the staff of Colonel Woodruff, whose names it affords me special gratification to mention.

From the twenty-sixth of December, until the close of the engagement on the fourth of January, at Murfreesboro, no entire day elapsed that the division or some portion of it did not engage the enemy. During a great part of the time the weather was excessively inclement and the troops suffered much from exposure. A heavy list of casualties and much suffering was unavoidable under the circumstances.

It affords me much pleasure to be able to report the cheerful and soldier-like manner in which these hardships and privations were endured by the troops throughout. History will record, and the country reward, their deeds.

My staff, consisting of T. W. Morrison, acting Assistant Adjutant-General; Captain H. Pease, Inspector-General; Captain McCullough, Lieutenants Frank E. Reynolds, and Thomas H. Dailey, Aids-de-Camp; Surgeon J. L. Judd, Medical Director; Captain Shriver, Ordnance Officer; Lieutenant R. Plunket, Provost Marshal; private Frank Clark, Clerk to the Assistant Adjutant General, and acting Aid-de-Camp; deported themselves throughout the entire campaign, as well as on the battle-field, with distinguished zeal and conspicuous gallantry.

While expressing my high regard and approbation of the General commanding, I desire to tender my thanks to yourself, Major, and to Colonel Langdon, Major Bates, Captains Thurston, Williams, and Fisher, of his staff, for the prompt and efficient manner in which the field duties were performed by them.

During the several engagements in which the division participated, my subaltern officers attracted my admiration by their conspicuous gallantry, and whose names, I regret, cannot be mentioned in this report. They will be remembered in future recommendation for promotion.

I am, Major, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Major: In obedience to instructions from the headquarters of the right wing, I have the honor to report the following as the operations of my division, from the twenty-sixth day of December, 1862, to the sixth day of January, 1863:

On the twenty-sixth of December I moved [495] from camp, near Nashville, on the Nolensville pike, in the direction of Nolensville. At the crossing of Mill Creek the enemy's cavalry made some resistance, but were soon routed, one private and one Lieutenant of the enemy being captured.

On approaching Nolensville, I received a message from General Davis, who had arrived at Nolensville, via the Edmonson pike, that the enemy were in considerable force on his front, and requesting me to support him.

On the arrival of the head of my division at Nolensville, General Davis advanced upon the enemy's position about two miles south of that place, supported by my division. The enemy had here made a stand in a gap of the mountains, but after a sharp conflict with General Davis's command, were routed and one piece of artillery captured.

On the next day (twenty-seventh) I supported General Johnson's division in its advance on Triune, where the enemy were supposed to be in considerable force.

The town was taken possession of after a slight resistance, the main portion of their forces having evacuated the place.

On the twenty-eighth I encamped at Triune. On the twenty-ninth I supported General Davis's division, which had the advance from Triune on Murfreesboro, encamping that night at Wilkinson's Cross-roads, from which point there is a good turnpike to Murfreesboro.

On the next day (thirtieth) I took the advance of the right wing on this turnpike, toward Murfreesboro, General Stanley with a regiment of cavalry having been thrown in advance.

After arriving at a point about three miles from Murfreesboro, the enemy's infantry pickets were encountered and driven back, their numbers constantly increasing until I had arrived within about two miles and a quarter of Murfreesbro. At this point the resistance was so strong as to require two regiments to drive them. I was here directed by Major-General McCook to form my line of battle and place my artillery in position. My line was formed on the right of the pike and obliquely to it, four regiments to the front with a second line of four regiments, within short supporting distance, in the rear, with a reserve of one brigade, in column of regiments, to the rear and opposite the centre. General Davis was then ordered to close in and form on my right, the enemy all this time keeping up a heavy artillery and musketry fire upon my skirmishers.

The enemy continued to occupy, with their skirmishers, a heavy belt of timber to the right and front of my line, and across some open fields, and near where the left of General Davis's division was intended to rest. General Davis was then directed by Major-General McCook to swing his division, and I was directed to swing my right brigade with it until our continuous line would front nearly due east. This would give us possession of the timber above alluded to, and which was occupied by the enemy's skirmishers in considerable force. This movement was successfully executed, after a stubborn resistance on the part of the enemy, in which they used one battery of artillery. This battery was silenced in a very short time by Bush's and Hescock's batteries, of my division, and two of the enemy's pieces disabled.

At sundown I had taken up my position, my right resting in the timber, my left on the Wilkinson pike, my reserve brigade of four regiments to the rear and opposite the centre.

The killed and wounded during the day was seventy-five men. General Davis's left was closed in on my right, and his line thrown to the rear, so that it formed nearly a right angle with mine. General Negley's division, of Thomas's corps, was immediately on my left, his right resting on the left hand side of the Wilkinson pike.

The enemy appeared to be in strong force in a heavy cedar-wood, across an open valley in my front and parallel to it, the cedar extending the whole length of the valley, the distance across the valley varying from three hundred to four hundred yards.

At two o'clock on the morning of the thirty-first, General Sill, who had command of my right brigade, reported great activity on the part of the enemy immediately in his front. This being the narrowest point in the valley, I was fearful that an attack might occur at that point. I therefore directed two regiments from the reserve to report to General Sill, who placed them in position in very short supporting disance of his lines.

At four o'clock in the morning the division was assembled under arms, and the cannoniers at their pieces. About fifteen minutes after seven o'clock in the morning, the enemy advanced to the attack across an open cotton field on Sill's front. This column was opened on by Bush's battery, of Sill's brigade, which had a direct fire on its front; also by Hescock's and Houghtaling's batteries, which had an oblique fire on their front, from a commanding position near the centre of my line. The effect of this fire upon the enemy's columns was terrible. The enemy, however, continued to advance until they had reached nearly the edge of the timber, when they were opened upon by Sill's infantry at a range of not over fifty yards. The destruction to the enemy's column, which was closed in mass, being several regiments in depth, was terrible. For a short time they withstood the fire, wavered, then broke and ran; still directing his troops to charge, which was gallantly responded to, and the enemy driven back across the valley and behind their intrenchments. In this charge I had the misfortune to lose General Sill, who was killed.

The brigade then fell back in good order and renewed its original lines. The enemy soon rallied and advanced to the attack on my extreme right, and in front of Colonel Woodruff, of Davis's division. Here, unfortunately, the brigade of Colonel Woodruff gave way, also one [496] regiment of Sill's brigade, which was in the second line. This regiment fell back some distance into the open field and then rallied, its place being occupied by a third regiment of my reserve. At this time the enemy, who had attacked on the extreme right of our wing, against Johnson, and also on Davis's front, had been successful, and the two divisions on my right were retiring in great confusion, closely followed by the enemy, completely turning my position, and exposing my line to a fire from the rear. I hastily withdrew the whole of Sill's brigade, and the three regiments sent to support it, at the same time directing Colonel Roberts, of the left brigade, who had changed front and formed in column of regiments, to charge the enemy in the timber from which I had withdrawn three regiments. This was very gallantly done by Colonel Roberts, who captured one piece of the enemy's artillery, which had to be abandoned.

In the meantime I had formed Sill's and Shaeffer's brigades on a line at right angles to my first line, and behind the three batteries of artillery, which were placed in a fine position, directing Colonel Roberts to return and form on the new line. I then made an unavailing attempt to form the troops on my right in this line, in front of which there were open fields through which the enemy was approaching under a heavy fire from Hescock's, Houghtaling's, and Bush's batteries.

After the attempt had proved to be entirely unsuccessful, and my right was again turned, General McCook directed me to advance to the front and form on the right of Negley. This movement was successfully accomplished, under a heavy fire of musketry and artillery, every regiment of mine remaining unbroken.

I took position on Negley's right, Roberts' brigade having been placed in position at right angles to Negley's line, facing to the south, the other two brigades being placed to the rear and at right angles with Roberts', and facing the west, covering the rear of Negley's lines. I then directed Houghtaling's battery to take position at the angle of these two lines, Captain Hescock sending one section of his battery, under Lieutenant Taliaferro, and one section of Bush's battery, to the same point; the remaining pieces of Hescock's and Bush's batteries were placed on the right of Negley's line, facing toward Murfreesboro. In this position I was immediately attacked, when one of the bitterest and most sanguinary contests of the whole day occurred.

General Cheatham's division advanced on Roberts' brigade, and heavy masses of the enemy with three batteries of artillery advanced over the open ground which I had occupied in the previous part of the engagement, at the same time the enemy opening from their intrenchments in the direction of Murfreesboro.

The contest then became terrible. The enemy made three attacks and were three times repulsed, the artillery range of the respective batteries being not over two hundred yards. In these attacks Roberts' brigade lost its gallant commander, who was killed.

There was no sign of faltering with the men, the only cry being for more ammunition, which, unfortunately, could not be supplied on account of the discomfiture of the troops on the right of our wing, which allowed the enemy to come in and capture our ammunition train.

Shaeffer's brigade being entirely out of ammunition, I directed them to fix bayonets and await the enemy. Roberts' brigade, which was nearly out of ammunition, I directed to fall back resisting the enemy. Captain Houghtaling, having exhausted all his ammunition, and nearly all the horses of his battery having been killed, attempted, with the assistance of the men, to withdraw his pieces by hand.

Lieutenant Taliaferro, commanding the section of Hescock's battery, having been killed, and several of his horses shot, his two pieces were brought off by his sergeant with the assistance of the men. The difficulty of withdrawing the artillery here became very great, the ground being rocky and covered with a dense growth of cedar. Houghtaling's battery had to be abandoned, and also two pieces of Bush's battery. The remaining pieces of artillery in the division were brought through the cedars with great difficulty, under a terrible fire from the enemy, on to the open space on the Murfreesboro pike, near the right of General Palmer's division. In coming through the cedars two regiments of Shaeffer's brigade succeeded in obtaining ammunition, and were immediately put in front to resist the enemy, who appeared to be driving in our entire lines.

On arriving at the open space I was directed by Major-General Rosecrans to take these two regiments and put them into action on the right of Palmer's division, where the enemy were pressing heavily. The two regiments went in very gallantly, driving the enemy from the cedar timber and some distance to the front. At the same time I put four pieces of Hescock's battery into action near by and on the same front. The other two regiments of Shaeffer's brigade, and the Thirty-sixth Illinois, of Sill's brigade, were directed to cross the railroad, where they could obtain ammunition. I then, by direction of Major-General McCook, withdrew the two regiments that had been placed on the right of Palmer's division, also Captain Hescock's pieces, that point having been given up to the enemy in the re-arrangement of our lines.

These regiments of Shaeffer's brigade having supplied themselves with ammunition, I put it into action, by direction of Major-General Rosecrans, directly to the front and right of General Wood's division, on the left hand side of the railroad.

The brigade advanced through a clump of timber, and took position on the edge of a cotton field, close upon the enemy's lines, relieving the division of General Wood, which was falling back under a heavy pressure from the enemy.

At this point I lost my third and last brigade [497] commander, Colonel Shaeffer, who was killed. The brigade, remaining in this position until after it had expended its ammunition, was withdrawn to the rear of this timber, when it was again supplied, and joined by the Thirty-sixth Illinois. I was here directed by General Rosecrans to form a close column of attack and charge the enemy should they again come down on the open ground.

The remaining portion of the evening this gallant brigade remained in close column of regiments, and under fire of the enemy's batteries, which killed about twenty of the men by round shot. In the meantime, Colonel Roberts' brigade, which had come out of the cedars unbroken, was put into action by General McCook at a point a short distance to the rear, where the enemy threatened our communications on the Murfreesboro pike.

The brigade, having but three or four rounds of ammunition, cheerfully went into action, gallantly charged the enemy, routing them, recapturing two pieces of artillery, and taking forty prisoners. The rout of the enemy at this point deserves special consideration, as they had nearly reached the Murfreesboro pike.

On the night of the thirty-first I was placed

in position on the Murfreesboro pike, facing south, and on the ground where Roberts' brigade had charged the enemy, General Davis being on my right. On the first of January heavy skirmish fighting, with occasional artillery shots on both sides, was kept up till about three o'clock P. M., when a charge was made by a brigade of the enemy on my position. This was handsomely repulsed, and one officer and eighty-five men of the enemy captured. Colonel Walker's brigade, of Thomas corps, was also placed under my command temporarily, having a position on my left, where the same character of fighting was kept up.

On the second of January Colonel Walker sustained two heavy attacks, which he gallantly repulsed. On the third skirmishing took place throughout the day. On the fourth all was quiet in front, the enemy having disappeared. On the fifth nothing of importance occurred, and on the sixth I moved my division to its present camp on Stone River, three miles south of Murfreesboro on the Shelbyville pike.

I trust that the General commanding is satisfied with my division. It fought bravely and well. The loss of Houghtaling's battery and one section of Bush's was unavoidable. All the horses were shot down or disabled, Captain Houghtaling wounded, and Lieutenant Taliaferro killed.

My division, alone and unbroken, made a gallant stand to protect the right flank of our army, being all that remained of the right wing. Had my ammunition held out I would not have fallen back, although such were my orders if hard pressed. As it was, this determined stand of my troops gave time for a re-arrangement of our lines.

The division mourns the loss of Sill, Shaeffer, and Roberts. They were all instantly killed, and at the moment when their gallant brigades were charging the enemy. They were true soldiers — prompt and brave.

On the death of these officers, respectively, Colonel Grensel, Thirty-sixth Illinois, took command of Sill's brigade; Lieutenant-Colonel Laibold, Second Missouri, of Shaeffer's, and Colonel Bradley, of Roberts' brigade. These officers behaved gallantly throughout the day.

It is also my sad duty to record the death of Colonel F. A. Harrington, of the Twenty-seventh Illinois, who fell heroically leading his regiment to the charge.

I refer with pride to the splendid conduct, bravery, and efficiency of the following regimental commanders, and the officers and men of their respective commands:

Colonel F. T. Sherman, Eighty-eighth Illinois.

Major F. Ehrler, Second Missouri.

Lieutenant-Colonel John Weber, Fifteenth Missouri.

Captain W. W. Barrett, Forty-fourth Illinois, (wounded).

Major W. A. Preston, Seventy-third Illinois (wounded).

Major Silas Miller, of the Thirty-sixth Illinois (wounded and a prisoner).

Captain P. C. Oleson, Thirty-sixth Illinois.

Major E. C. Hubbard, Twenty-fourth Wisconsin.

Lieutenant-Colonel McCreery, Twenty-first Michigan.

Lieutenant-Colonel N. H. Walworth, Forty-second Illinois.

Lieutenant-Colonel F. Swannick, Twenty-second Illinois (wounded and a prisoner).

Captain Samuel Johnson, Twenty-second Illinois.

Major W. A. Schmitt, Twenty-seventh Illinois.

Captain Wescott, Fifty-first Illinois.

I respectfully bring to the notice of the General commanding, the good conduct of Captain Hescock, Chief of Artillery, whose services were almost invaluable. Also, Captains Hough-tailing and Bush, and the officers and men of their batteries.

Surgeon D. J. Griffiths, Medical Director of my division, and Doctor McArthur, of the Board of Medical Examiners of Illinois, were most assiduous in their care of the wounded.

Major H. F. Dietz, Provost Marshal; Captain Morhardt, Topographical Engineer; Lieutenant George Lee, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General; Lieutenants A. M. Denning, Frank H. Allen, E. W. DeBruin, J. L. Forman, and Soward, Aids-de-Camp, officers of my staff, were of the greatest service to me, delivering my orders faithfully, and promptly discharging the duties of their respective positions.

The ammunition train above alluded to as captured, was retaken from the enemy by the good conduct of Captain Thurston, Ordnance Officer of the corps, and Lieutenant Douglas Ordnance Officer of my division, who, with Sergeant Cooper of my escort, rallied the stragglers and drove off the enemy's cavalry. [498]

The following is the total of casualties in the division:

officers.
Killed	15
Wounded	38
Missing	11	--	64
enlisted men.
Killed	223
Wounded	943
Missing	400	--	1,566
Total			1,630

Of the eleven officers and four hundred enlisted men missing, many are known to be wounded and in the hands of the enemy.

Prisoners were captured from the enemy by my division, as follows:

Majors	1
Captains	1
Lieutenants	3
Enlisted men	216
Total	221

I am, sir, Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the troops under my command, in the engagement with the enemy on Stone River:

On Tuesday morning, December thirtieth, 1862, the Eighth division, composed of the Seventh and Twenty-ninth brigades, Schultz's, Marshall's and Wells' batteries, was posted on a rolling slope of the west bank of Stone River, in advance, but joining the extreme right of General Crittenden's line, and the left of General McCook's.

In the rear and on the right, was a dense cedar-wood with a broken, rocky surface. From one position, several roads were cut through the woods in our rear, by which to bring up the artillery and ammunition trains.

In front, a heavy growth of oak timber extended toward the river, which was about a mile distant. A narrow thicket diagonally crossed our left, and skirted the base of a cultivated slope, expanding to the width of a mile, as it approached the Nashville pike.

This slope afforded the enemy his commanding position (in the centre), on the crest of which his rifle-pits extended (with intervals) from the oak timber immediately in my front, to the Nashville pike, with a battery of four Napoleon and two iron guns, placed in position, near the woods, and about eight hundred yards from my position.

Behind this timber, on the river bank, the enemy massed his columns, for the movements of the next day.

His skirmishers were driven from our immediate front after a sharp contest; in which the Nineteenth Illinois and Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania volunteers displayed admirable efficiency. The position of my command was held, under a heavy fire, until darkness terminated the skirmishing in our front, by which time we had inflicted considerable loss upon the enemy.

In the meantime, General Sheridan's division caine up and formed “line of battle” (his left resting on my right), and began to advance, driving the enemy, until he had passed the centre of my brigade.

While General Sheridan was in this position, I changed my front slightly, bearing it more to the left, to avoid masking a portion of Sheridan's command.

The troops remained in this position and in “order of battle” all night, cheerfully enduring the cold and rain, awaiting the morrow's sun, to renew the contest.

Early the next morning, and before the heavy fog had drifted from our front, the enemy, in strong force, attacked General McCook's right, commencing a general engagement, which increased in intensity toward his left.

Sheridan's division stood its ground manfully, supported by the Eighth division, repulsing and driving the enemy at every advance.

The enemy still gained ground on General McCook's right, and succeeded in placing several batteries in position, which covered my right; from these, and the battery on my left, which now opened, the troops were exposed to a converging fire, which was most destructive.

Houghtaling's, Schultz's, Marshall's, Bush's, and Wells' batteries were all ordered into action in my front, pouring destructive volleys of grape and shell into the advancing columns of the enemy, mowing him down like swaths of grain.

For four hours the Eighth division, with a portion of Sheridan's and Palmer's divisions, maintained their position, amid a murderous storm of lead and iron, strewing the ground with their heroic dead.

The enemy, maddened to desperation by the determined resistance, still pressed forward fresh troops, concentrating and forming them in a concentric line, on either flank.

By eleven o'clock, Sheridan's men, with their ammunition exhausted, were falling back. General Rousseau's reserve and General Palmer's division had retired in the rear of the cedars, to form a new line. The artillery ammunition was expended, that of the infantry reduced to a few rounds. The artillery horses were nearly all killed or wounded; my ammunition train had been sent back, to avoid capture; a heavy column of the enemy was marching directly to our rear, through the cedars. Communication with Generals Rosecrans and Thomas was entirely cut off, and it was manifestly impossible for my command to hold the position, without [499] eventually making a hopeless, fruitless sacrifice of the whole division.

To retire, was but to cut our way through the ranks of the enemy. The order was given, and manfully executed; driving back the enemy in front, and checking his approaching columns in our rear.

All the regiments in my command distinguished themselves for their coolness and daring, frequently halting and charging the enemy, under a withering fire of musketry.

On approaching General Rousseau's line, the battalion of regulars, under command of Major King, at my request, gallantly charged forward to our assistance, sustaining a severe loss in officers and men, in the effort.

Colonels Stanley and Miller now promptly re-formed their brigades, with the remaining portions of the batteries, and took position on the new line, as designated by Major-General Thomas.

Shortly afterward, the Twenty-ninth brigade was ordered to the left, to repel an attack from the enemy's cavalry upon the trains.

He troops remained in line all night and the next day in “order of battle” until noon, when the division was ordered to the right of General McCook's line, in expectation of an attack upon his front.

The next day (January two) at one o'clock P. M., my command was ordered to the support of General Crittenden, on the left, and took position in the rear of the batteries, on the west bank of Stone River.

About three P. M. a strong force of the enemy, with artillery, advanced rapidly upon General Van Cleve's division; which, after sustaining a severe fire for twenty or thirty minutes, fell back in considerable disorder; the enemy pressing vigorously forward to the river bank.

At this important moment, the Eighth division was ordered to advance, which it did promptly; the men crossing the river and charging up the steep bank with unflinching bravery. The Twenty-first, Eighteenth, Sixty-ninth, and Seventy-fourth Ohio, Nineteenth Illinois, Eleventh Michigan, Thirty-seventh Indiana, and Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania volunteers, displaying their usual promptness and gallantry. Four pieces of artillery and a stand of colors belonging to the Twenty-sixth (rebel) Tennessee, were captured at the point of the bayonet, also a large number of prisoners; the enemy retreating in disorder.

It is proper to mention here, that the artillery practice of Schultz's, Mendenhall's, Standart's, Wells', Marshall's, and Stokes' batteries, which were acting temporarily under my orders, in this engagement, was highly satisfactory, giving the enemy great tribulation.

The promptness displayed by Captain Stokes, in bringing his battery into action by my orders, and the efficient manner with which it was served, affords additional evidence of his marked ability and bravery as an officer and patriot. In the same connection, I feel permitted to speak in complimentary terms of the gallant Morton, and his pioneer brigade, which marched for ward under a scathing fire, to the support of my division.

The enemy having fallen back to his intrenchments, my division re-crossed the river and resumed its former position.

On the evening of the fourth, the Twenty-ninth brigade was moved forward to the north bank of Stone River, near the railroad, as an advanced force. On the same day, General Spears' First Tennessee brigade was assigned to the Eighth division. This brigade distinguished itself on the evening of the second, in a desperate charge on the enemy. On the morning of the fifth, I was ordered to take command of the advance, and pursue the enemy toward Murfreesboro.

By nine A. M., the Eighth division, Walker's brigade (pioneer brigade), and General Stanley's cavalry force had crossed the river and taken possession of Murfreesboro, without meeting any resistance; the rear guard of the enemy retreating on the Manchester and Shelbyville roads, our cavalry pursuing, supported by the Twenty-ninth brigade, on the Shelbyville pike, and by Colonel Byrd's First East Tennessee regiment, on the Manchester pike.

The rear guard of the enemy (three regiments cavalry and one battery) was overtaken on the Manchester, five miles from Murfreesboro. Colonel Byrd fearlessly charged this unequal force of the enemy, driving him from his position, with a loss of four killed and twelve wounded; enemy's loss not ascertained.

Our army marched quietly into Murfreesboro, the chosen position of the enemy, which he was forced to abandon after a series of desperate engagements. The joyful hopes of traitors have been crushed — treason receiving another fatal blow.

My command enthusiastically join me in expression of admiration of the official conduct of Generals Rosecrans and Thomas. During the most eventful periods of the engagements their presence was at the point of danger, aiding with their counsels and animating the troops by their personal bravery and cool determination.

I refer to my command with feelings of national pride for the living, and personal sorrow for the dead. Without a murmur, they made forced marches over almost impassable roads, through drenching winter rains, without blankets or a change of clothing; deprived of sleep or repose, constantly on duty for eleven days; living three days on a pint of flour and parched corn. Ever vigilant, always ready, sacrificing their lives with a contempt of peril, displaying the coolness, determination, and high discipline of veterans, they are entitled to our country's gratitude. Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Tennessee, may proudly inscribe upon their scrolls of fame the names of the Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania volunteers, Eighteenth, Twenty-first, Sixty-ninth, and Seventy-fourth Ohio, Schultz's and Marshall's (Ohio) batteries, the Eleventh Michigan, Nine-teenth [500] Illinois, Thirty-seventh Indiana, Wells' section (Kentucky) battery, and Spears' Tennessee brigade.

I wish to make honorable mention of the bravery and efficient services rendered by the following named officers and men, for whom I earnestly request promotion:

Brigadier-General Spears, commanding First Tennessee brigade.

Colonel T. R. Stanley, Eighteenth Ohio volunteer infantry, commanding Twenty-ninth brigade.

Colonel John T. Miller, Twenty-ninth Indiana volunteers, commanding Seventh brigade.

Captain Jas. St. Clair Morton, commanding pioneer brigade.

Captain James H. Stokes, commanding Chicago battery.

Major John H. King, commanding Fifteenth United States infantry.

Captain Bush, commanding Fourth Indiana battery.

Captain James A. Lowrie, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Lieutenant Fred. H. Kennedy, Aid-de-Camp.

Captain Charles T. Wing, Assistant Quarter-master.

Major Fred. H. Gross, Medical Director.

Captain James R. Hayden, Ordnance Officer.

Lieutenant Wm. W. Barker, Aid-de-Camp.

Lieutenant Robert H. Cochran, Provost Marshal.

Lieutenant Francis Riddell, acting Assistant Commissary of Subsistence.

Lieutenant Charles C. Cook, acting Aid-de-Camp.

Lieutenant W. D. Ingraham, Topographical Engineers.

Captain Frederick Shultz and Lieutenant Joseph Hein, Battery M, First Ohio artillery.

Lieutenants Alex. Marshall, John Crable, and Robert D. Whittlesey, Battery G, First Ohio artillery.

Captain W. E. Standart, Battery B, First Ohio artillery.

Lieutenant A. A. Ellsworth, commanding Wells' section Kentucky artillery.

Lieutenant W. H. Spence, Wells' section Kentucky artillery.

Lieutenant H. Terry, Third Ohio cavalry.

Secretaries-Sergeant H. B. Fletcher, Company K, Nineteenth Illinois volunteers; Corporal Rufus Rice, Company K, First Wisconsin volunteers; Private James A. Sangston, Company C, Seventy-ninth Pennsylvania volunteers, and Sergeant Charles Rambour, Company K, Seventy-fourth Ohio volunteers; Wm. Longwell, Orderly, Seventh Pennsylvania cavalry.

Escort--Sergeant George C. Lee, Corporal E. H. Daugherty, Privates Henry Schwenk, Henry B. Zimmerman, John Higgins, Leon Starr, Daniel Walker, John McCorkle, Abraham Keppuly, George Gillem, John Cunningham.

The following is an approximate report of the casualties in my command, during the battles before Murfreesboro, December thirtieth and thirty-first, 1862, and January second and third 1863:

command.	went into action.				lost in action.
Second Division--Centre--Fourteenth Army Corps.	Officers.	Men.	Horses.	Cannon.	Killed.		Wounded.		Missing.		Horses.			Guns.
					Officers.	Men.	Officers.	Men.	Officers.	Men.	Killed.	Wounded.	Missing.	Lost.	Disabled.
First Tennessee Brigade,	66	734	8			3	1	22				1
Twenty-ninth Brigade,	93	1719	37		8	78	25	259		94	5	3	5
Seventh Brigade,	71	1948			3	79	20	415	1	193
Infantry,	230	4401	45		11	160	46	696	1	287	5	4	5
Schultz Battery	2	75	56	4		1	1			1	5	4		1
Marshall's Battery,	3	110	116	6		5		5		14	34	12		4
Wells' Battery	2	47	40	3		1		3		6	18	6	4	1	1
Artillery,	7	232	212	13		7	1	8		21	57	22	4	6	1
Total,	237	4633	257	13	11	167	47	704	1	308	62	26	9	6	1
remarks.--My command captured upwards of four hundred prisoners, four brass field pieces, and one stand of regimental colors.

Casualties.

I have the honor to remain, very respectfull,

Your obedient servant,

Sir: I have the honor to report the part taken by my command, the Third division of the army, in the battle of Murfreesboro, begun on the thirty-first ultimo, and ended on the third instant:

Early on the morning of the thirtieth ult., in obedience to the order of Major-General Thomas, my division moved forward toward Murfreesboro from Stewartsboro, on the Nashville and Murfreesboro turnpike, about nine miles from the latter place. On the march forward several dispatches from General Rosecrans reached me, asking exactly where my command was, and the hour and minute of the day. In consequence we moved rapidly forward, halted but once, and that for only five minutes. About half past 10 o'clock A. M., we reached a point three miles from Murfreesboro, where Generals Rosecrans and Thomas were, on the Nashville and Murfreesboro turnpike, and remained during the day, and bivouacked at night.

At about nine o'clock A. M., on the thirty-first, the report of artillery and the heavy firing of small arms on our right announced that the battle had begun by an attack on the right wing, commanded by Major-General McCook. It was not long before the direction from which the firing came, indicated that General McCook's command had given way and was yielding ground to the enemy. His forces seemed to swing round toward our right and rear. At this time General Thomas ordered me to advance my division quickly to the front to the assistance of General McCook.

On reaching the right of General Negley's line of battle, General Thomas there directed me to let my left rest on his right, and to deploy my division off toward the right as far as I could, so as to resist the pressure on General McCook.

We consulted and agreed as to where the line should be formed. This was in a dense cedarbrake, through which my troops marched in quick time to get into position before the enemy reached us. He was then but a few hundred yards to the front, sweeping up in immense numbers, driving everything before him. This ground was new and unknown to us all. The woods were almost impassable to infantry, and artillery was perfectly useless, but the line was promptly formed. The Seventeenth brigade, Colonel John Beatty commanding, on the left; the regular brigade, Lieutentant-Colonel O. L. Shepard commanding, on the right; the Ninth brigade, Colonel B. F. Scribner commanding, was placed perhaps a hundred yards in the rear and opposite the centre of the front line, so as to support either or both the brigades in front, as occasion might require. My recollection is that perhaps the Second and Thirty-third Ohio regiments filled a gap between General Negley's right and the Seventeenth brigade, occasioned by the effort to extend our lines far enough to the right to afford the desired aid to General McCook.

The Twenty-eighth brigade, Colonel John C. Starkweather commanding, and Stone's battery of the First Kentucky artillery, were at Jefferson crossing on Stone River, about eight miles below.

Our lines were hardly formed before a dropping fire from the enemy announced his approach. General McCook's troops, in a good deal of confusion, retired through our lines, and around our right, under a most terrific fire. The enemy in pursuit furiously assailed our front, and, greatly outflanking us, passed around to our right and rear.

By General Thomas's direction I had already ordered the artillery, Loomis' and Guenther's batteries, to the open field in the rear. Seeing that my command was outflanked on the right, I sent orders to the brigade commanders to retire at once also to this field, and riding back myself, I posted the batteries on a ridge in the open ground parallel with our line of battle, and as my men emerged from the woods they were ordered to take position on the right and left, and in support of these batteries, which was promptly done. We had perhaps four or five hundred yards of open ground in our front. While the batteries were unlimbering, seeing General Van Cleve close by, I rode up and asked him if he would move his command to the right, and aid in checking up the enemy by forming on my left, and thus giving us a more extended line in that direction in the new position taken. In the promptest manner possible his line was put in motion, and in double-quick time reached the desired point in good season.

As the enemy emerged from the woods in great force shouting and cheering, the batteries of Loomis and Guenther, double-shotted with canister, opened upon them. They moved straight ahead for awhile, but were finally driven back with immense loss. In a little while they rallied again, and, as it seemed, with fresh troops, again assailed our position, and were again, after a fierce struggle, driven back. Four deliberate and fiercely sustained assaults were made upon our position, and repulsed. During the last assault, I was informed that our troops were advancing on our right, and saw troops, out of my division, led by General Rosecrans, moving in that direction. I informed General Thomas of the fact, and asked leave to advance my lines. He directed me to do so. We made a charge upon the enemy and drove him into the woods, my staff and orderlies capturing some seventeen prisoners, including a Captain and Lieutenant, who were within one hundred and thirty yards of the batteries. This ended the fighting of that day, the enemy in immense force hovering in the woods during the night, while we slept upon our arms on the field of battle. We occupied this position during the three following days and nights of the fight. Under General Thomas's direction I had it intrenched by rifle-pits, and believe the enemy could not have taken it at all.

During the day, the Twenty-eighth brigade, Colonel Starkweather, was attacked by Wheeler's cavalry in force, and some of the wagons of his train were burned before they reached him, having started that morning from Stewartsboro [502] to join him. The enemy were finally repulsed and driven off with loss. Starkweather's loss was small. In this affair the whole brigade behaved handsomely.

The burden of the fight fell upon the Second Wisconsin, Lieutenant-Colonel Hobart commanding. This regiment, led by its efficient commander, behaved like veterans. From the evening of the thirty-first until Saturday night, no general battle occurred in front of my division, though firing of artillery and small arms was kept up during the day, and much of the small arms during the night. The rain on the night of the thirty-first, which continued at intervals until the Saturday night following, rendered the ground occupied by my command exceedingly sloppy and muddy, and during much of the time my men had neither shelter, food, nor fire. I procured corn, which they parched and ate, and some of them ate horse-steaks cut and broiled from horses on the battle-field. Day and night in the cold, wet and mud, my men suffered severely, but during the whole time I did not hear one single murmur at their hardships, but all were cheerful and ever ready to stand by their arms and fight. Such endurance I never saw. In these severe trials of their patience and their strength, they were much encouraged by the constant presence and solicitous anxiety of General Thomas for their welfare.

On the evening of Saturday, third inst., I asked permission of General Thomas to drive the enemy from a wood on our left front, to which he gave his consent. Just before, I directed the batteries of Guenther and Loomis to shell the woods with six rounds per gun, fired as rapidly as possible. This was very handsomely done, and ended just at dark, when the Third Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel O. H. Lawson, and Eighty-eighth Indiana, Colonel George Humphreys, both under command of the brigade commander, Colonel John Beatty, moved promptly up to the woods. When near the woods they received a heavy fire from the enemy, but returned it vigorously and gallantly and pressed forward. On reaching the woods a fresh body of the enemy, attracted by the fire, moved up on their left to support them. On that body of the enemy Loomis's battery opened with shell. The fusilade was very rapid, and continued for perhaps three-quarters of an hour, when Beatty's command drove the enemy at the point of the bayonet, and held the woods. It turned out that the enemy were posted behind a stone breastwork in the woods, and when ousted about thirty men were taken prisoners behind the woods. This ended the battle of Murfreesboro.

On the morning of the thirty-first, six companies of the Second Kentucky cavalry, Major Thomas P. Nicholas commanding, were ordered down to watch and defend the fords of Stone River to our left and rear. The cavalry of the enemy several times, in force, attempted to cross these fords, but Nicholas very gallantly repulsed them with loss, and they did not cross the river.

I should have mentioned that Friday evening late I was directed by General Thomas to place a regiment in the woods on our left front as an outpost, and with the view to hold the woods, as they were near our lines, and the enemy could greatly annoy us if allowed to hold them. Our skirmishers were then just leaving the woods. I ordered the Forty-second Indiana, Lieutenant-Colonel Shanklin commanding, to take that position; which he did. But early the next morning the enemy, in large force, attacked Colonel Shanklin, first furiously shelling the woods, and drove the regiment back to our lines, taking Shanklin prisoner. It was this wood that was retaken on Saturday night as before described.

The troops of the division behaved admirably. I could not wish them to behave more gallantly. The Ninth and Seventeenth brigades, under the lead of their gallant commanders, Scribner and Beatty, were, as well as the Twenty-eighth brigade, Colonel Starkweather, veterans; they were with me at Chaplin Hills, and could not act badly.

The Twenty-eighth brigade held a position in our front after the first day's fighting, and did it bravely, doing all that was required of them like true soldiers.

The brigade of United States infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel O. L. Shepard commanding, was on the extreme right. On that body of brave men the shock of battle fell heaviest, and its loss was most severe. Over one-third of the command fell killed or wounded; but it stood up to the work and bravely breasted the storm, and though Major King, commanding the Fifteenth, and Major Slemmer ( “Old Pickens” ), the Sixteenth, fell severely wounded, and Major Carpenter, commanding the Nineteenth, fell dead in the last charge, together with many other brave officers and men, the brigade did not falter for a moment. These three battalions were a part of my old Fourth brigade at the battle of Shiloh.

The Eighteenth infantry, Majors Townsend and Caldwell commanding, were new troops to me, but I am proud now to say we know each other. If I could I would promote every officer and non-commissioned officer and private of this brigade of regulars for gallantry and good service in this terrific battle. I make no distinction between these troops and my brave volunteer regiments, for in my judgment there were never better troops than these regiments in the world. But the troops of the line are soldiers by profession, and with a view to the future I feel it my duty to say what I have of them. The brigade was admirably and gallantly handled by Lieutenant Colonel Shepard.

I lost some of the bravest and best officers I had. Lieutenant Colonel Kell, commanding Second Ohio, was killed. After he fell his regiment was efficiently handled by Major Anson McCook, who ought to be made Colonel of that regiment for gallantry on the field. Colonel Forman, my brave boy Colonel of the Fifteenth Kentucky, also fell. Major Carpenter, [503] of the Nineteenth infantry, fell in the last charge. His loss is irreparable. Many other gallant officers were lost.

Of the batteries of Guenther and Loomis I cannot say too much. Loomis was Chief of Artillery for the Third division, and I am much indebted to him. His battery was commanded by Lieutenant Van Pelt. Guenther is but a Lieutenant. Both of these men deserve to be promoted, and ought to be at once. Without them we could not have held our position.

I fell in with many gallant regiments and officers on the field, not of my command. I wish I could name all of them here. While falling back to the line in the open field, I saw Colonel Charles Anderson gallantly and coolly rallying his men. Colonel Grider, of Kentucky, and his regiment, efficiently aided in repulsing the enemy. The Eighteenth Ohio, I think it was, though I do not know any of its officers, faced about, and charged the enemy in my presence, and I went along with it. The Eleventh Michigan, and its gallant little Colonel (Stoughton), behaved well, and the Sixth Ohio infantry, Colonel Nick Anderson, joined my command on the right of the regular brigade, and stood manfully up to the work.

I fell in with the Louisville legion in retreat, Lieutenant-Colonel Berry commanding. This regiment, though retreating before an overwhelming force, was dragging by hand a section of artillery which it had been ordered to support. A part of General McCook's wing of the army had fallen back with the rest, but through the woods and fields, with great difficulty, bravely brought off the cannon it could no longer defend on the field. When I met it, it faced about and formed line of battle with cheers and shouts.

To Lieutenant McDowell, my acting Assistant Adjutant-General; Lieutenant Armstrong, Second Kentucky cavalry; Lieutenant Millard, Nineteenth United States infantry, Inspector-General; Captain Taylor, Fifteenth Kentucky, and Lieutenant Alf. Pirtle, Ordnance Officer, my regular Aids, and to Captain John D. Wickliffe and Lieutenant W. G. Jenkins, both of Second Kentucky cavalry, Aids for that battle, I am much indebted for services on that field.

The wounded were kindly and tenderly cared for by the Third Division Medical Director, Surgeon Muscroft, and the other surgeons of the command.

Lieutenant McDowell was wounded. My Orderlies, James Emery and the rest, went through the whole fight behaving well. Emery was wounded. Lieutenant Carpenter, First Ohio volunteer infantry, one of my Aids, was so badly injured by the fall of his horse that I would not permit him to go on the field. Lieutenant Hartman, Seventy-ninth Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, a member of my staff, was ill with fever, and unable to leave his bed.

It should be mentioned that the Eighty-eighth Indiana, Colonel Humphreys, being placed at one of the fords on Stone River where our forces were temporarily driven back, very opportunely rallied the stragglers, and promptly crossed the river and drove the enemy back. In this he was aided by the stragglers, who rallied and fought well. The Colonel was wounded by a bayonet thrust in the hand in the attack of Saturday night on the enemy in the woods in our front.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

Major: I have the honor to submit, for the information of the General commanding, the following report of the operations of this division, from and including the twenty-seventh of December up to and including the fourth of January:

At 11.20 A. M., on the twenty-seventh of December, while in camp near Lavergne, I received orders to move forward, following the division of General Wood, and to detach a brigade to proceed by the Jefferson pike and seize the bridge across Stewart's Creek. The duty of conducting this operation was assigned to Colonel Hazen--which was well and skilfully done.

The brigades of Cruft and Grose reached the west bank of Stewart's Creek late in the afternoon of the twenty-seventh, and bivouacked there until the morning of the twenty-ninth.

During all the day, Sunday, the twenty-eighth, the enemy's pickets were in sight across the creek, firing upon us occasionally at long range, but did us no harm. On Monday morning, twenty-ninth of December, at nine o'clock, I was ordered to deploy one regiment as skirmishers; to dispose of my other troops so as to support it, and move forward at ten o'clock precisely and continue to advance until the enemy were found in position.

This disposition was made.

A few minutes before ten o'clock, Parsons was ordered to shell the woods to our front, and at ten o'clock Grose's brigade moved forward, skirmishing with the enemy, supported by the First brigade, Hazen not having yet joined me.

The command advanced steadily, driving the light force of rebel skirmishers before it to the top of the hill, some mile and a half this side of Stewart's Creek, and being under the impression that the divisions of Wood and Negley were to advance with me.

In a few moments Wood's advance came up on the left of the pike and the two divisions moved forward, constantly skirmishing (though much heavier on Wood's front than my own) to the ground occupied that night, afterward the theatre of battle of the thirty-first.

During the day the casualties were ten wounded in Grose's brigade, none severely.

On the morning of the thirtieth, my division was formed as follows: Third brigade (Grose's) in two lines, the left resting on the pike; First [504] brigade (Cruft's) to the right, extending across the point of woods, his extreme right retired to connect with Negley's left; and Hazen's brigade in reserve.

There was considerable skirmishing during the day, the greater portion of which fell upon Cruft's brigade, which was in rather unpleasant proximity, to a point of woods to his front and right, held by the enemy in strong force.

About four o'clock I was ordered to advance and open upon the enemy with all my artillery. This was not done, probably, as soon as the order contemplated. The ground occupied by the batteries at the time the order was received was low and confined; upon pushing forward the skirmishers of the First brigade to clear the way to a good artillery position, in the open field to the front, the rebels were found numerous and stubborn. Learning very soon that a mere demonstration was intended, all my batteries opened, and, I am satisfied, damaged the enemy considerably. The skirmish attending this movement was quite brisk; the troops engaged doing themselves great credit. This closed the operations of the day.

On the morning of the thirty-first, Cruft's brigade retained its position of the day before. Hazen's brigade had relieved Grose, who had fallen back to a point sore two hundred yards to the rear, and was formed in two lines nearly opposite the interval between the First and Second brigades; Standart's battery on the extreme right, Parsons' near the centre.

Early in the morning I rode to the right of my own command, and the battle had commenced on the extreme right of the line; soon afterward, near eight o'clock, General Negley, through one of his staff, informed me he was about to advance and requested me to advance to cover his left. I gave notice of this to the General commanding, and a few moments later received orders to move forward. I at once ordered General Cruft to advance, keeping close up well toward Negley; Colonel Hazen to go forward, observing the movements of Wood's right; and Grose to steadily advance, supporting the advance brigades, and all to use their artillery freely.

My line had advanced hardly a hundred yards when, upon reaching my own right, I found that General Negley had, instead of advancing, thrown back his right, so that his line was almost perpendicular to that of Cruft and to his rear; and it was also apparent that the enemy were driving General McCook back, and were rapidly approaching our rear.

Cruft's line was halted by my order. I rode to the left to make some disposition to meet the coming storm, and by the time I reached the open ground to the south of the pike, the heads of the enemy's columns had forced their way to the open ground to my rear. To order Grose to change front to the rear was the work of a moment, and he obeyed the order almost as soon as given; retiring his new left so as to bring the enemy under the direct fire of his line, he opened upon them in fine style and with great effect, and held his ground until the enemy were driven back.

In the meantime General Negley's command had, to some extent, become compromised by the confusion on the right, and my first brigade was exposed in front and flank to a severe attack, which also now extended along my whole front. Orders were sent to Colonel Hazen to fall back from the open cotton field into which he had moved. He fell back a short distance, and a regiment from Wood's division which had occupied the crest of a low-wooded hill, between the pike and the railroad, having been removed, he took possession of that, and there resisted the enemy. Hazen on the railroad, one or two regiments to the right, some troops in the point of woods south of the cotton field and a short distance in advance of the general line, among whom I was only able to distinguish the gallant Colonel Whittaker and his Sixth Kentucky; still further to the right Cruft was fighting, aided by Standart's guns, and to the rear Grose was fighting with apparently great odds against him. All were acquitting themselves nobly, and all were hard pressed. I could see that Grose was losing a great many men, but the importance of Hazen's position determined me, if necessary, to expend the last man in holding it. I gave my attention from that time chiefly to that point.

The One Hundredth Illinois came up on the left of the railroad and fought steadily. As soon as Colonel Grose was relieved of the enemy in his rear, he again changed front, moved to the left and co-operated with Colonel Hazen. One regiment was sent to my support from General Wood's command, and which behaved splendidly. I regret my inability either to name the regiment or its officers. Again and again the attack was renewed by the enemy, and each time repulsed, and the gallant men who had so bravely struggled to hold the position occupied it during the night.

Brigadier-General Cruft deserves great praise for so long holding the important position occupied on our right, and for skilfully extricating his command from the mass of confusion around it. Standart fought his guns until the enemy were upon him, and then brought them off safely; while the Second Kentucky brought off by hand three guns abandoned by General Negley's division.

Colonel Hazen proved himself a brave and able soldier by the skill and courage exhibited in forming and sheltering his troops, and in organizing and fighting all the materials around him for the maintenance of his important position.

Colonel Grose exhibited great coolness and bravery, and fought against great odds. He was under my eye during the whole day, and I could see nothing to improve in the management of his command.

I shrink from the task of specially mentioning regiments or regimental officers. All did their duty, and, from my imperfect acquaintance with regiments, I am apprehensive of injurious mistakes. [505]

I recognized during the battle the Forty-first Ohio, which fought until it expended its last cartridge, and was then relieved by the noble Ninth Indiana, which came into line with a heavy shout, inspiring all with confidence. The Eighty-fourth, One Hundred and Tenth, and One Hundredth Illinois I knew; all new regiments, and all so fought that even the veterans of “Shiloh” and other bloody fields had no occasion to boast over them. The Eighty-fourth stood its ground until more than one-third of its number were killed or wounded. The Sixth Ohio, the Twenty-fourth Ohio, the Twenty-third Kentucky, and the Thirty-sixth Indiana were pointed out to me; and I recognized the brave Colonel Whittaker and his fighting men doing soldiers' duty. I only saw the regiments of Cruft's brigade fighting early in the day; I had no fears for them where valor could win. Indeed, the whole division fought like soldiers trained under the rigid discipline of the lamented Nelson, and by their courage proved that they had caught a large portion of his heroic and unconquerable spirit.

During the whole day I regarded the battery under the command of Lieutenant Parsons, assisted by Lieutenants Cushing and Huntington, as my right arm, and well did the conduct of these courageous and skilful young officers justify my confidence. My orders to Parsons were simple: “Fight where you can do the most good.” Never were orders better obeyed.

The reported conduct of the other batteries attached to the division is equally favorable. They were in other parts of the field.

My personal staff, Captain Norton, acting Assistant Adjutant-General; Lieutenants Simmons and Child; Lieutenant Croxton, Ordnance Officer; Lieutenant Hays, Division Topographical Engineer; Lieutenant Shaw, Seventh Illinois cavalry, were with me all day on the field, and carried my orders everywhere with the greatest courage. Lieutenant Simmons was severely injured by a fragment of a shell.

I cannot commend the conduct of Doctor Sherman, Ninth Indiana volunteers, Medical Director, too highly. At all times from the commencement of the march from Nashville, and during the battles and skirmishes in which the division was engaged, up to the occupation of Murfreesboro, he was always at his post, and by his industry, humanity, and skill, earned not only my gratitude and that of this command, but that of the wounded of the enemy, many of whom were thrown upon his care.

On the first of January, this division was relieved and placed in reserve. On Friday, the second, Grose's brigade was ordered over the river to the left to support the division of Colonel Beatty, and during the action the brigade of Colonel Hazen was also ordered over to cooperate with Grose, while the First brigade (Cruft's) was posted to support a battery on the hill near the ford.

During the heavy cannonade the First brigade maintained its position with perfect coolness.

While the engagement was going on across the river a rebel force of what seemed to be three small regiments, entered the clump of woods in front of the position of our batteries on the hill near the ford. These troops were in musket range of our right across the creek, and I determined at once to dislodge them. Seeing two regiments, one of which was commanded by Colonel Garrit, and the other by Colonel Attmire, I ordered them to advance to the edge of the wood and deploy some companies as skirmishers. They obeyed me cheerfully and pushed in. Not being willing to leave the repulse of the enemy a matter of doubt, or to expose these brave fellows to the danger of heavy loss, I ordered up two of Cruft's regiments, and upon approaching the edge of the woods halted them, and told them it was my purpose to clear the woods at the point of the bayonet. To inspire them with coolness and confidence, the preparation for the charge was made with great deliberation. To get the proper direction for the line, guides were thrown out and the proper changes were made. Bayonets fixed, and these two regiments, Thirty-first Indiana and Ninetieth Ohio, ordered to clear the woods. They went in splendidly. It was done so quickly that the rebels had hardly time to discharge their pieces. They fled with the utmost speed. All these regiments behaved handsomely.

commands.	killed.			wounded.			missing.			aggregate.
	Officers.	Men.	Total.	Officers.	Men.	Total.	Officers.	Men.	Total.
First Brigade,		44	44	9	218	227	6	120	126	397
Second Brigade,	5	41	46	17	318	335		52	52	433
Third Brigade,	10	97	107	22	456	478		74	74	659
Standart's Battery,		5	5		12	12		3	3	20
Parson's Battery,		2	2		14	14		6	6	22
Cockerell's Battery,		2	2	1	13	14		2	2	18
Total,	15	191	206	49	1,031	1,080	6	257	263	1,549

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, yours,

On the morning of the twenty-sixth ult., the left. wing of the Fourteenth army corps broke up its encampment in the vicinity of Nashville, and moved toward the enemy. Reliable information assured us that they were encamped in force at and in the vicinity of Murfreesboro; but as their cavalry, supported occasionally by infantry, had extended its operations up to our outposts, and as we had been compelled, some days previous to the movement on the twenty-sixth ult., to fight for the greater part of the forage consumed by our animals, it was supposed we would meet with resistance as soon as our troops passed beyond the lines of our own outposts. Nor was this expectation disappointed. The order of march, on the first day of the movement, placed the Second division (General Palmer's) in advance, followed by my own. Several miles northward of Lavergne, a small hamlet nearly equidistant between Nashville and Murfreesboro, portions of the enemy were encountered by our advance guard, a cavalry force, and a running fight at once commenced. The country occupied by these bodies of hostile troops, affords ground peculiarly favorable for a small force to retard the advance of a larger force. Large cultivated tracts occur at intervals, on either side of the turnpike road, but the country between the cultivated tracts is densely wooded, and much of the woodland is interspersed with cedar. The face of the country is undulating, presenting a succession of swells and depressions.

This brief description is applicable to the whole country between Nashville and Murfreesboro, and it will show to the most casual observer how favorable it was for covering the movements and designs of the enemy in resisting our progress. The resistance of the enemy prevented our troops from gaining possession of the commanding heights immediately south of Lavergne, during the first day's operation, and delayed the arrival of my division at the site selected for its encampment until some time after nightfall. The darkness of the evening and the lateness of the hour prevented such a reconnoissance of the ground as is so necessary in close proximity to the enemy. But to guard effectually against surprise, a regiment from each brigade was thrown well forward as a grand guard, and the front and flanks of the division covered with a continuous line of skirmishers.

The troops were ordered to be roused at an hour and a half before dawn of the following morning, to get their breakfast as speedily as possible, and to be formed under arms and in order of battle before daylight. An occasional shell from the opposite heights, with which the enemy commenced to greet us shortly after the morning broke, showed these precautions were not lost. As it was understood from the commanding General of the corps, that the right wing was not so far advanced as the left, the latter did not move forward until eleven o'clock A. M. on the twenty-seventh. At this hour the advance was ordered, and my division was directed to take the lead. The entire cavalry on duty with the left wing was ordered to report to me; being satisfied, however, from the nature of the country, that its position in the advance would be injudicious, and retard, rather than aid, the progress of the infantry, I directed it to take position in rear of the flanks of the leading brigade. I ordered Hascall's brigade to take the advance, and moved forward in two lines, with the front and flanks well covered with skirmishers. The other two brigades, Wagner's and Harker's, were ordered to advance on either side of the turnpike road, prepared to sustain the leading brigade, and especially to protect its flanks. These two brigades were also ordered to protect their outer flanks by flankers. In this order the movement commenced. Possession of the hamlet of Lavergne was the first object to be attained. The enemy were strongly posted in the houses, and on the wooded heights in the rear, where they were enabled to oppose our advance by a direct and cross-fire of musketry. Hascall's brigade advanced nobly across an open field to the attack, and quickly routed the enemy from their stronghold. This was the work of only a few minutes, but more than twenty casualties in the two leading regiments proved how sharp was the fire of the enemy. The forward movement of Hascall's brigade was continued, supported by Estep's Eighth Indiana battery. The enemy availed themselves of the numberless positions which occur along the entire road, to dispute our progress, but could not materially retard the advance of our troops, so determined and enthusiastic. They continued to press forward through the densely-wooded country, in a drenching rain-storm, till the advance reached Stewart's Creek, distant some five miles from Lavergne. Stewart's Creek is a narrow, deep stream, flowing between high and precipitous banks. It is spanned by a wooden bridge, with a single arch. It was a matter of cardinal importance to secure possession of this bridge, as its destruction would entail difficulty and delay in crossing the river, and, perhaps, involve the necessity of constructing a new bridge. The advance troops found, on their arrival, that the enemy had lighted a fire upon it, but had been pressed so warmly that there had been no time for the flames to be communicated to the bridge. The line of skirmishers and the Third Kentucky volunteers, Colonel McKee, dashed bravely forward, though opposed to a fire from the opposite direction, threw the combustible materials into the stream, and saved the bridge. While this gallant feat was being performed, the left flank of the leading brigade was attacked by cavalry. The menaced regiments immediately changed front to left, repulsed the attack, and a company of the One Hundredth Illinois, Colonel Bartleson, succeeded in cutting off and capturing twenty-five prisoners, with [507] their arms, and twelve horses, with their accoutrements. The result of the day's operations was twenty casualties (wounded), in Hascall's brigade, and some twenty-five prisoners taken from the enemy. The enemy fell back in great disorder from Stewart's Creek. He left tents standing on the southern bank of the creek, and in this encampment the ground was strewn with arms.

Sunday, the twenty-eighth ult., we remained in camp, waiting for the troops of the right wing and centre to get into position.

Monday, the twenty-ninth, the advance was resumed. Wagner's brigade, of my division, was deployed, in order of battle, on the left or eastern, and a brigade of General Palmer's division, on the right or western side of the road. Cox's Tenth Indiana battery supported Wagner's brigade. Moving part passu, the two brigades advanced, clearing all opposition, till we arrived within two miles and a half of Murfreesboro. Harker's brigade was disposed on the left of Wagner's brigade, in the advance, and Hascall's held in reserve. On arriving within two miles and a half of Murfreesboro, the evidences were perfectly unmistakable that the enemy were in force immediately in our front, prepared to resist, seriously and determinedly, our further advance. The rebels, displayed in battle array, were plainly seen in our front.

Negley's division, which was to take position in the centre, to complete the communication between the right and left wings, was not up, but several miles in the rear. Van Cleve's division, which was to support the left, was in the rear of Negley's. Consequently, I halted the troops in advance, reported the fact to General Crittenden, commanding the left wing, and desired further orders. Up to this moment, the information received had indicated, with considerable probability, that the enemy would evacuate Murfreesboro, offering no serious opposition. But observations assured me, very soon after arriving so near the town, that we should meet with determined resistance, and I did not deem it proper to precipitate the force in advance--two divisions, my own and Palmer's — on the entire force of the enemy, with the remainder of our troops so far in the rear as to make it entirely possible — perhaps probable — that a serious reverse would occur before they could support us. Furthermore, the afternoon was well nigh spent, and an attempt to advance would have involved us in the obscurity of the night, on unexamined ground, in the presence of an unseen foe, to whom our movements would have rendered us seriously vulnerable.

The halt being approved, my division was disposed in order of battle, and the front securely guarded by a continuous line of skirmishers, thrown out well in advance of their reserves. The right of the division (Wagner's brigade) rested on the turnpike, and occupied a piece of wooded ground, with an open field in front of it; the centre (Harker's brigade) occupied, in part, the woods in which Wagner's brigade was posted, and extended leftward into an open field, covered in front by a low swell which it was to occupy in case of an attack, and General Hascall's brigade was posted on the left of the division, with the left flank resting nearly on Stone River. The entire division was drawn up in two lines. Stone River runs obliquely in front of the position occupied by the division, leaving a triangular piece of ground of some hundreds of yards in breadth in front of the right, and narrowing to almost a point in front of the left.

Such was the position occupied by my division on Monday night. It remained in this position throughout Tuesday, the thirtieth--the skirmishers keeping up an active fire with the enemy. In this encounter, Lieutenant Elliott, Adjutant of the Fifty-seventh Indiana, was badly wounded. In the afternoon, I had three days subsistence issued to the men; and, near nightfall, by order, twenty additional rounds of cartridges were distributed to them. Commanders were directed to instruct the troops to be exceedingly vigilant, and to report promptly any indication in their fronts of a movement by the enemy. The artillery horses were kept attached to their pieces. Between midnight and daylight on Wednesday morning I received a message from Colonel Wagner, to the effect that the enemy seemed to be moving large bodies of troops from the right to the left. I immediately dispatched the information to the headquarters of the left wing, and I doubt not it was sent thence to the commanding General, and by him distributed to the rest of the corps. The division was roused at five o'clock on Wednesday morning; the men took their breakfasts, and, before daylight, were ready for action. Shortly after dawn, I repaired to the headquarters of the left wing for orders. I met the commanding General there, and received orders from him to commence passing Stone River, immediately in front of the division, by brigades. I rode at once to my division, and directed Colonel Harker to commence the movement with his brigade, dispatching an order to General Hascall to follow Colonel Harker, and an order to Colonel Wagner to follow General Hascall. While Colonel Harker was preparing to move, I rode to the front to examine the ground. A long, wooded ridge, withdrawn a few hundred yards from the stream, extends along the southern and eastern side of Stone River. On the crest of this ridge the enemy appeared to be posted in force. During the morning some firing had been heard on the right, but not to a sufficient extent to indicate that the troops were seriously engaged. But the sudden and fierce roar and rattle of musketry, which burst upon us at this moment, indicated that the enemy had attacked the right wing in heavy force, and soon the arrival of messengers, riding in hot haste, confirmed the indications. I was ordered to stop the movement to cross the river, and to withdraw the brigades to the rear, for the purpose of reinforcing the centre and right. General [508] Hascall's and Colonel Harker's brigades were withdrawn, and the latter, under orders from the commanding General, moved to the right and rear. I ordered Colonel Wagner to hold his position in the woods at all hazards, as this was an important point, and so long as it was held, not only were our left front and flanks secured, but the command of the road leading to the rear preserved. The vigorous attack on our right and centre, extended to our left, and our whole line became seriously engaged. Not only was the extreme left exposed to the attack in the front, but was much harassed by the enemy's artillery, posted on the heights on the southern side of Stone River. But the troops nobly maintained their position, and gallantly repulsed the enemy. A slackening of the enemy's fire at this moment, in his attack on our centre and left, and other indications that his forces were weakening in the centre, rendered the juncture apparently favorable for bringing additional and fresh troops into the engagement. Hascall's brigade was now brought forward, and put into position on the right of Wagner's brigade. But the abatement of the enemy's fire was but the lulling of the storm, to burst soon with greater fury. The attack was renewed on our centre and left with redoubled violence. Hascall's brigade had got into position in good season, and aided in gallant style in driving back the enemy. Estep's battery, generally associated with Hascall's brigade, had been detached early in the morning, and sent to the right and rearward, to aid in driving back the enemy from our centre and right. The falling back of the right wing had brought our lines into a crochet. This rendered the position of the troops on the extreme left particularly hazardous, for had the enemy succeeded in gaining the turnpike, in his attack on the right, the left would have been exposed to an attack in the reverse. This danger imposed on me the necessity of keeping a rigid watch to the right, to be prepared to change front in that direction, should it become necessary. Again the enemy were seen concentrating large masses of troops in the fields to the front and right, and soon these masses moved to the attack. Estep's battery was now moved to the front to join Hascall's brigade. The artillery in the front lines, as well as those placed in the rear of the centre and left, poured a destructive fire on the advancing foe, but on he came until within small-arm range, when he was repulsed and driven back. But our thinned ranks and dead and wounded officers told, in sad and unmistakable language, how seriously we were sufferers from these repeated assaults. Colonel McKee, of the Third Kentucky, had been killed; and Colonel Hines and Lieutenant-Colonel Dennard, of the Fifty-seventh Indiana, and Colonel Blake and Lieutenant-Colonel Neff, of the Fortieth Indiana, with others, were wounded. During this attack, the Fifteenth Indiana, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, counter-charged on one of the enemy's regiments, and captured one hundred and seventy-five prisoners. The capture was from the Twentieth Louisiana. While this attack was in progress, I received a message from General Palmer, commanding the Second division of the left wing, that he was sorely pressed, and desired I would send him a regiment, if I could possibly spare one. I sent an order to General Hascall to send a regiment to General Palmer's assistance, if his own situation would warrant it. He dispatched the Fifty-eighth Indiana, Colonel G. P. Buell's regiment, to report to General Palmer. The regiment got into position, reserved its fire until the enemy were in close range, and then poured in a withering discharge, from which the foe recoiled in disorder. Our extreme left next became the object of the enemy's attention. Skirmishers were seen descending the slope on the opposite side of the river, as also working their way down the stream for the purpose, apparently, of gaining our left flank and rear. A few well-directed charges of grape and canister from Cox's battery drove them back. This battery did most excellent service in counter-battering the enemy's artillery, posted on the heights on the southern side of the river. The afternoon was now well advanced, but the enemy did not seem disposed to relinquish the design of forcing us from our position. Heavy masses were again assembled in front of the centre, with a view, evidently, of renewing the onset. But the well-directed fire of the artillery held them in check, and only a small force came within range of our small arms, which was readily repulsed. The enemy concluded his operations against the left, as night approached, by opening on it with his artillery. Cox's and Estep's batteries gallantly and effectually replied. But darkness soon put a conclusion to this artillery duel, and when the night descended brought a period to the long and bloody contest of this ever-memorable day, which found the First and Second brigades, Hascall's and Wagner's, occupying, with some slight interchange in the position of particular regiments, the ground on which they had gone into the fight in the morning. Every effort of the enemy to dislodge them had failed; every attack was gallantly repulsed. I cannot speak in too high terms of praise of the soldierly bearing and steadfast courage with which the officers and men of these two brigades maintained the battles throughout the day. Their good conduct deserves and will receive the highest commendations of their commanders and countrymen. The commanding General of the enemy has borne testimony in his dispatch to the gallantry and success of their resistance. Cox's and Estep's batteries were splendidly served throughout the day, and did the most effective service. They lost heavily in men and horses, and it was necessary for Estep to call on the One Hundredth Illinois, for a detail to aid in working his guns. I have previously remarked that the Third brigade, Colonel Harker's, was detached early [509] in the morning and sent to reinforce the right. It remained on that part of the field during the entire day, I am not able, consequently, to speak of its service from personal observation. But its extremely heavy list of casualties shows how hotly it was engaged, and what valuable service it rendered. I am sure it met the expectation I had ever confidently entertained of what would be its bearing in presence of the foe. Bradley's Sixth Ohio battery was associated with this brigade during the day, was skilfully handled and did most effective service. It lost two of its guns, but they were spiked before they were abandoned. They were subsequently recaptured by the Thirteenth Michigan, attached to this brigade. From all I have learned of the service of the Third brigade and Bradley's battery, I am sure they deserve equal commendation with the other two brigades and batteries, which so stoutly held the left. An official report of events so thrilling as those of the battle of the thirty-first ult., made from personal observations amid the din and roar of the conflict, and unaided by the reports of the subordinate commanders, must necessarily present but a brief and meagre outline of the part enacted by the troops whose services it professes to portray. A report so prepared may, entirely unintentionally on the part of the writer, do injustice to particular troops and officers. From the inability of reference to the reports of subordinate commanders, I cannot give any detail of the heavy casualties of the battle of the thirty-first. I must leave them to be reported, with the subsequent casualties, by my successor in command. The absence of such reports prevents me from signalizing by name such regimental and company officers as particularly distinguished themselves. But where all did so well it would be difficult, perhaps invidious, to discriminate among them. To my brigade commanders, Brigadier-General Hascall, commanding First brigade, Colonel Wagner, Fifteenth Indiana, commanding Second brigade, and Colonel Harker, Sixty-fifth Ohio, commanding Third brigade, my warmest thanks are due for their valuable assistance, their hearty co-operation, and intelligent performance of duty throughout the whole of that trying day. For these services and their gallant and manly bearing under the heaviest fire, they richly deserve the highest commendation and the gratitude of their countrymen. Colonels Wagner and Harker have long and ably commanded brigades, and I respectfully submit it would be simply an act of justice to confer on them the actual and legal rank of the command they have so long exercised. To Major S. Race, Chief of Artillery; Surgeon W. W. Blair, Fifty-eighth Indiana; Captain M. P. Bestow, Assistant Adjutant-General; First Lieutenant J. L. Yargan, Fifty-eighth Indiana, Aide-de-Camp; Captain Y. R. Palmer, Thirteenth Michigan, Inspector-General, and Major Walker, Second Indiana cavalry, volunteer Aid-de-Camp, my thanks are due and cordially given. Captain L. D. Myers, Division Quartermaster; Captain Henderson, Commissarary of Subsistence to the division, and First Lieutenant Martin, Twenty-first Ohio, Signal Officer, but for some time engaged in performing the duties of Acting Assistant Quartermaster, great credit is due for the intelligent and efficient performance of duty in their respective departments. Captain Bruce, Fifty-eighth Indiana, Ordnance Officer of the First Virginia, deserves credit for valuable services rendered in the Ordnance Department for the entire division, during the absence of the Division Ordnance Officer.

My division is composed of regiments from the States of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky. To the relatives and personal friends of those who have fallen in defence of their country, I would respectfully offer my sympathy and condolence.

About ten o'clock Wednesday morning, during one of the heaviest attacks, I was struck by a Minnie ball on the inner side of the left heel. Fortunately the ball struck obliquely, or the injury would have been much severer. My boot was torn open, the foot lacerated, and a severe contusion inflicted. I did not dismount from my horse till seven o'clock in the evening. The coldness of the night, combined with the injury, made my foot so painful and stiff as to render it evident I would not be effective for immediate service. I was ordered by the commanding General of the corps to repair that night, by ambulance, with an escort, to the city. It was with extreme regret I found myself in a condition to make it necessary, on account of my injury, to leave the division I had formed and so long commanded; but the regret was alleviated by the reflection that I had left the division under the command of an able and experienced officer, one who had long served with it, who knew it well, and in whom it had confidence--Brigadier-General Hascall.

I am still confined to my room, but trust ere long to be able to resume my duties.

I am, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Major: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my division on the thirty-first of December, 1862:

At seven o'clock on the morning of that day, I received an order to cross Stone River, on which my left rested, and march toward Murfreesboro. The First brigade, Colonel Beatty, Third brigade, Colonel Price, and the batteries, Captain Swallow commanding, were promptly moved over and formed into line; the Second brigade, Colonel Fyffe, being retained on the south side by a subsequent order.

My lines being formed and about to advance, [510] by your order I recrossed the river, leaving the Third brigade to guard the ford. With the First brigade I marched rapidly to the support of General Rousseau, whose division was hard pressed by the enemy. We formed in a wood on the south side of the Murfreesboro and Nashville turnpike. Our lines were no sooner formed than the enemy were seen advancing, driving before them our scattered troops. Our ranks were opened to suffer them to pass, when they closed and opened on the enemy with a withering fire, who were soon brought to a halt. A murderous fire was kept up on both sides about twenty minutes, when the enemy began to recoil. Our second line now relieving the first with a hearty cheer, the rebels broke and retreated. The Second brigade coming up at this moment, formed on the right and joined in the pursuit. We pressed the enemy through this wood, and across an open field, to another wood, where they appear to have met with reinforcements and re-formed. The Seventh Indiana battery, Captain Swallow, joined us on this open field, and rendered efficient aid. Here I received information from General Rosecrans that General Rousseau was driving the enemy, accompanied with an order for me to press them hard.

At the same moment I was notified by a messenger from Colonel Harker, whose brigade was to my right and rear, that the enemy were in force on my right in a wood, and were planting a battery there. I immediately sent a message to Colonel Harker to press the enemy hard, as I had no reserve to protect my right; to Captain Swallow, who was doing good service with his battery, not to suffer it to be captured; to Colonel Beatty to send two regiments, if they could possibly be spared, to the support of Colonel Fyffe, and a fourth to General Crittenden to inform him of my critical situation. The enemy now poured a galling fire of musketry, accompanied with grape and shell, on our right. Colonel Fyffe's brigade, supported by Captain Swallow's battery, gallantly returned the fire, but being overpowered by numbers on front and flank, were soon compelled to retire, followed but a short distance by the enemy. Captain Swallow, to whom too much praise cannot be awarded, brought off his battery safely.

Colonel Beatty, who had been pressing the enemy on the left, as soon as he learned the condition of affairs, retired in good order; with two of his regiments, was ordered by General Rosecrans to protect a battery on the Murfreesboro road; the remaining two regiments of his brigade and Colonel Fyffe's brigade were re-formed, and took a position on the left of General McCook's corps, and to the right of the Pioneer, which position we occupied without further adventure till after dark.

I cannot close this report without inviting your attention to the gallantry displayed by those under my command during this engagement. To both officers and men too much praise cannot be awarded. I would particularly notice the coolness, intrepidity, and skill of my brigade commanders, Colonels Beatty and Fyffe, and of Captain Swallow, Chief of Artillery. To the members of my staff, Captain E. A. Otis, Assistant Adjutant-General; Captain C. H. Wood, Inspector-General; Captain William Starling, Topographical Engineer; Lieutenants T. F. Murdoch and H. M. Williams, Aids-de-Camp, I owe much for the promptness, faithfulness, and gallantry with which they executed my orders, and conveyed intelligence on the field. Sergeant R. B. Rhodes, of the First Ohio cavalry, in command of my escort, conducted himself like a true soldier, and deserves honorable mention.

A slight wound received early this day, becoming exceedingly painful, on the following morning I was compelled to turn over the command of the division to Colonel Beatty, and retire from the field.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Major: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this division for the time embraced between the first and third days of January, 1863, inclusive:

I was called — to the command of the division on the morning of January first, by General Van Cleve's disability, from the wound received in the battle of the preceding day.

At three P. M. on that day, I received orders to cross Stone River with my command at the “upper ford,” and hold the hill overlooking the river near the ford. Accordingly, at daybreak the Third brigade, Colonel Price commanding, crossed the river at the place indicated, throwing out skirmishers and flankers. Colonel Price was quickly followed by Colonel Fyffe's brigade; the force being formed in two lines, the right retiring on the high ground near the river and east of the ford, and the left thrown forward so that the direction of the line should be nearly perpendicular to the river.

In the meantime, the First brigade, Colonel Grider commanding, had been disposed as follows: Two regiments were formed in the hollow near the hospital, as a reserve, the other two remaining on the other side of the river to support a battery.

The enemy's skirmishers were now discovered in a wood, distant half a mile or so from our first line, and occasional firing took place on both sides.

Information of all these movements was sent to General Crittenden, who sent me word if I needed artillery to order up a battery. The Third Wisconsin battery, Lieutenant Livingston commanding, was accordingly, at about ten o'clock A. M., ordered to cross the river and remain in the hollow near the ford. [511]

Small parties of the enemy's cavalry and infantry were occasionally seen, and at length a strong line was distinctly visible through the openings of the wood. Lieutenant Livingston was ordered to bring up his battery. It was accordingly placed in position on the rising ground in front of Colonel Fyffe's brigade. Several shells were thrown at the enemy's line, which caused its disappearance; it was supposed that they had lain down. One section, Lieutenant Hubbard commanding, was now moved to the hill on the right, whence, also, one or two shells were thrown at detached parties. Colonel Fyffe's brigade was moved to the left of the battery, where it was covered by a skirt of woods. Our whole force had been constantly concealed by making the men lie down.

About one o clock the remaining two regiments of Colonel Grider's brigade, the Nineteenth Ohio and Ninth Kentucky, were ordered to cross the river, which they did, forming near the hospital on the left of the other two regiments of the same brigade, to protect our left flank. The enemy's force was occasionally seen moving to our left, and Generals Crittenden and Palmer were advised of the fact; Colonel Grose was consequently ordered to support me. His brigade formed so as to protect our left, relieving the Nineteenth Ohio and Ninth Kentucky. These two regiments were formed in rear of the right of the second line, as a reserve, being posted in the hollow near the ford.

No other disturbance occurred during the day, except the occasional filing of the skirmishers; so Colonel Grose's brigade and Livingston's battery recrossed the river. About midnight we were alarmed by sharp firing from the skirmishers; they reported that it was caused by the enemy's skirmishers advancing and firing upon us. One of our men was killed and one wounded. Nothing else occurred during the night. On the morning of Friday, January second, Livingston's battery came across the river again, and was posted as before. There was light skirmishing during the earlier part of the day.

The Seventy-ninth Indiana, Colonel Knifler, was ordered to take place in the first line, to close the gap between Colonel Fyffe's brigade and the others. Nothing of note occurred until about eleven o'clock, when the firing of the enemy's skirmishers became very constant and heavy, as they slowly crept up toward us. The skirmishers now reported a battery being planted in our front, and shortly afterward, that fifteen regiments of infantry and three pieces of artillery were moving to our left.

Notice of all these movements was given to Generals Crittenden and Palmer, and Colonel Grose's brigade again came over to our support. About noon the enemy's battery opened with occasional shells, directed at Lieutenant Hubbard's section of artillery on the hill. The enemy's artillery were now seen moving to our left, and soon another battery opened fire upon Lieutenant Hubbard's section.

As the enemy's skirmishers were so near that their firing was annoying and dangerous to the artillery, I ordered Lieutenant Livingston to retire and take a position on the hill near the hospital. A few shells were still thrown by the enemy's battery on our left, and occasional ones from an apparently heavy battery across the river. As the enemy's skirmishers pressed ours very closely, our lines were strengthened by throwing out two more companies. The firing was .very sharp, and many of our men as well as theirs, were wounded. At about half-past 2 o'clock it was reported that four more of the enemy's guns were moving toward our left. Word was sent of this, as in case of all other movements, to General Crittenden. At about three o'clock our skirmishers reported that the enemy's skirmishers were throwing down the fence in front of our line. Orders were sent to Colonel Price to — let his first line fall back behind the crest of the hill, but before he could receive them the enemy were advancing across the field to the charge. They were formed in column, with a front of apparently two regiments.

The first column was three regiments, or six ranks deep; this was succeeded by a second of the same depth, and a third apparently greater.

At the same moment their artillery opened from three or four different points, throwing shot, shell and canister directly into us.

As the enemy's columns approached to within a hundred yards or so, the first line rose up and delivered a heavy fire upon their column, which checked it for a moment; they soon pressed on, however. The regiments of the first line, the Fifty-first Ohio, Eighth Kentucky, and Thirty-fifth and Seventy-ninth Indiana, fought gallantly until the enemy were within a few yards of them, when, overpowered by numbers, they were compelled to retire.

This movement confused and disorganized the second line, which also was ordered to fall back. The reserve, consisting of the Nineteenth Ohio, Ninth Kentucky, and Eleventh Kentucky, was now ordered up. They advanced most gallantly toward the crest of the hill, and poured a destructive fire upon the enemy, whose first column was by this time almost annihilated. Their supporting columns soon came up, however, and at the same time a force advanced along the river bank upon our right flank. Our men fought with most desperate courage, as will appear from their severe loss, until forced back by the actual pressure of the enemy. Even then they broke back from the right, file by file, stubbornly contesting their ground. At last, however, the right being forced back, the left was ordered to retire, which it slowly did until the bank of the river was reached.

Attempts were made to rally the men at several points, but it was impossible from the heavy fire and the close proximity of the enemy; most of them were, therefore, forced across the river, where many of them rallied and returned with the first supporting troops; and I am proud to say that the colors of the Nineteenth [512] Ohio, Ninth Kentucky, and Fifty-first Ohio were the first to recross the stream after the enemy's check. The tremendous fire of our artillery on the south side of the river, with Livingston's battery on the other, with the determined resistance they had met, had stopped the enemy at the river; and now, as our troops pressed forward, they fled in confusion, leaving four of their guns.

Several brave officers had rallied a great number of our men, and were the foremost in the advance.

Night now came on and closed the pursuit. The regiments were rapidly reorganized, and in a few hours were in a state of efficiency, and turned out promptly and cheerfully at an alarm.

The Second brigade, Colonel Fyffe, was not attacked, the front of the enemy's column not extending to them. Seeing the right driven back, they also retired in good order. Lieutenant Livingston's battery fired constantly and well from the first appearance of the enemy, until the very last moment he could remain safely. He then crossed the river without losing a piece.

I cannot too much commend the gallant manner in which my men fought, and the promptness with which, when forced to give way, they rallied and reorganized.

The following is a report of the number of killed, wounded and missing in the engagement before Murfreesboro, Tennessee:

commands.	killed.			wounded.			missing.			aggregate.
	Officers.	Men.	Total.	Officers.	Men.	Total.	Officers.	Men.	Total.
Brigadier-General Van Cleve,				1		1				1
First Brigade,	7	59	66	16	303	319		81	81	466
Second Brigade,	4	76	80	14	225	239	2	160	162	481
Third Brigade,	6	75	81	21	307	328	2	146	148	557
Artillery,		6	6		19	19				25
Total,	17	216	233	52	354	906	4	387	391	1,530

To the commanders of the different brigades, Colonels Grider, Price and Fyffe, my thanks are due for the gallantry and coolness of their behavior under very trying circumstances. Lieutenant Livingston, of the Third Wisconsin battery, did efficient service, and performed his duty ably and handsomely. Lieutenant Smoch, Third Kentucky cavalry, who commanded a detachment of couriers, remained constantly on hand near me, and was of great use.

To the following officers, members of my staff, I tender my thanks for their assistance, and the manner in which it was rendered: Captain E. A. Otis, Assistant Adjutant-General; Captain C. H. Wood, Acting Assistant Inspector-General; Captain William Starling, Topographical Engineer, and Lieutenants T. F. Murdoch and H. M. Williams, Aids-de-Camp.

Respectfully submitted,

Major: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the artillery in the left wing, from December twenty-six, 1862, to January two, 1863. This army marched from camp, near Nashville, December twenty-sixth; the left wing marching on the Murfreesboro pike.

About three P. M., our advance was brought to a stand-still, near Lavergne, by a rebel battery. It was opposed by a section of artillery serving with the cavalry, which being unable to dislodge the enemy, our advance battery (Captain Standart, Battery B, First Ohio) was, after a little delay, put in position and opened fire, soon silencing the enemy.

General Hascall took the advance with his brigade, and Lieutenant Estep's Eighth Indiana battery. They marched steadily forward till the enemy were driven across Stewart's Creek; the battery halting only when it was necessary to fire; two pieces were posted near, covering the bridge.

Some artillery was so disposed as to check the enemy, should they attempt to destroy or retake the bridge.

Lieutenant Parsons, commanding Batteries H and M, Fourth artillery, being in a commanding position, threw a few shells about nine A. M., driving the enemy's picket from the opposite woods. Our column advanced across the bridge at ten A. M., meeting with little resistance till within about three miles of Murfreesboro. Our troops were placed in line of battle as they came up, the artillery remaining with their divisions.

About nine A. M., the enemy opened fire upon Captain Cox's Tenth Indiana battery (which was between the pike and the railroad, and in front partially covered by woods). Captain Bradley's Sixth Ohio battery at once took a position to the left of the woods, and in a corn field. The two batteries soon silenced that of the enemy. One shot killed a man near where a number of general and staff officers were standing, and another passing through Battery H, Fourth artillery, killing one man, wounding another, besides disabling a horse.

The left wing started to cross Stone River, about eight A. M., but before a division had crossed, intelligence was received that the right was falling back. Colonel Fyffe's brigade, which was about crossing, was ordered to counter-march and move at double-quick to the right. Captain Swallow's Seventh Indiana battery operated for a time with this brigade, shelling the rebel cavalry from the brick hospital. Colonel Beatty's brigade, having recrossed the river, advanced to the support of the right wing; but the Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania battery, Lieutenant Stevens commanding, being unable to follow the brigade through the woods, took a position near the pike, and received the enemy with shot and shell as they advanced after our retreating columns, and I think did his part in checking them. He advanced as they retreated, and took a position in a corn field on the right of the pike near the three-mile post, and again opened upon the enemy. The position of this battery underwent several changes during the rest of the day, but remained in the same immediate vicinity. The Third Wisconsin battery, having recrossed the river with the brigade, took a position commanding the ford, and about twelve M. opened upon the enemy's cavalry, while attempting to drive off some of our wagons which had crossed the river, and were near a hospital we had established on the other side, driving them away with very little booty. The batteries of General Wood's division (Cox's Tenth Indiana, Estep's Eighth Indiana, and Bradley's Sixth Ohio, all under command of Major Race, of the First Ohio artillery) fought with the brigades with which they were serving. I had no occasion to give special orders to them during the day. The batteries of General Palmer's division served with it during the morning, rendering good service. Captain Standart's battery fell back with General Cruft's brigade, and was not again engaged during the day. Captain Cockerell, during the afternoon, was ordered to the front, taking a position in the corn field on the left of the woods where the enemy were making such desperate attempts to force back the left. At this place, Captain Cockerell was severely wounded in the foot, and the command of his battery devolved upon Lieutenant Osburn. Two guns of this battery were disabled from their own firing, the axles being too weak. One of the limbers of this battery was blown up during the day. Lieutenant Parsons, commanding Batteries H and M, Fourth artillery, was ordered up to support the left, about four P. M., and took a position near the railroad. After he had expended all his ammunition, I sent Captain Swallow's Seventh Indiana battery to replace him. These batteries did much to repel the enemy as they advanced with the evident determination to drive us back at all hazards if possible. During the night the batteries were re-supplied with ammunition, and I directed them to take positions, as follows, before daylight, viz.: Lieutenant Livingston, commanding

Gen. Robert B. Potter.

[515] ford on the extreme left; Captain Swallow, on his right, near the railroad; Lieutenant Stevens also near the railroad, but on the left of Captain Swallow. The batteries of the First division between the railroad and the pike. Captain Bradley on the left, Captain Cox on the right, and Lieutenant Estep in the centre. The Second division batteries near the pike in reserve.

During the morning, Lieutenant Livingston was directed to cross the river (he was assigned a position by Colonel Beatty), and Captain Swallow took his place commanding the ford; Lieutenant Parsons was ordered to a position on General Rousseau's front by General Rosecrans, and Captain Cox was moved across the pike near Stokes' battery, to support the right of his division, which had moved its right to that point. After dark, Captain Standart was ordered to relieve Stokes' battery. No firing, except now and then a shell at the enemy's pickets, during the day.

Early in the forenoon, the enemy opened fire first upon our left, which was not responded to, their shot and shell doing no harm. They were opened more furiously upon the troops and batteries near the railroad and pike, several of our batteries replying and soon silencing them. When the enemy had nearly ceased firing, Stokes' battery opened with canister upon Captain Bradley's battery and Colonel Harker's brigade, wounding several men and horses.

Captain Standart, with three pieces, Captain Bradley's and Lieutenant Estep's batteries, retired a short distance to fit up, they having received more or less injury from the enemy. Captain Bradley fell back on account of being fired into by Captain Stokes. He returned to his former position, after a little while, but Captain Standart and Lieutenant Estep remained in reserve. I then ordered Lieutenant Parsons, with Batteries H and M, Fourth artillery, to a position on the ridge to the right of Captain Swallow (who was on the highest point ridge, covering the ford) and Lieutenant Osburn, Battery F, First Ohio, to a position perhaps a hundred yards to the right of Lieutenant Parsons. During the afternoon Colonel Beatty changed the position of Lieutenant Livingston's battery to near the hospital (across the river).

About four P. M., while riding along the pike with General Crittenden, we heard heavy firing of artillery and musketry on the left. We at once rode briskly over, and arriving upon the hill near the fords saw our infantry retiring before the enemy. The General asked me if I could not do something to relieve Colonel Beatty with my guns--Captain Swallow had already opened with his battery. I ordered Lieutenant Parsons to move a little forward with his guns; then rode back to bring up Lieutenant Estep with his Eighth Indiana battery; meeting Captain Morton with his brigade of pioneers, he asked for advice, and I told him to move briskly forward with his brigade, and send his battery to the crest of the hill near the batteries engaged; the Eighth Indiana battery took position to the right of Lieutenant Parsons. Seeing that Lieutenant Osburn was in position (between Lieutenants Parsons and Estep) I rode to Lieutenant Stevens' Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania battery, and directed him to change front to fire to the left, and open fire ; and then to Captain Standart's, and directed him to move to the left with his pieces, and take position covering the ford. I found that Captain Bradley had anticipated my wishes, and had changed front to fire to the left, and opened upon the enemy. This battery was near the railroad. Lieutenant Livingston's battery (which was across the river) opened upon the advancing enemy and continued to fire until he thought he could no longer maintain his position, when he crossed over, one section at a time, and opened fire again. The firing ceased about dark. During this terrible encounter of little more than an hour in duration, forty-three pieces of artillery belonging to the left wing, Captain Stokes' battery of six guns, and the batteries of General Negley's division, about nine guns, making a total of about fifty-eight pieces, opened fire upon the enemy. The enemy soon retired; our troops following. Three batteries of the left wing, besides those of General Davis, crossed the river in pursuit. During this engagement, Lieutenant Parsons had one of his howitzers dismounted by a shot from the enemy, but it was almost immediately replaced by one captured from the enemy and brought over by the Nineteenth Illinois.

Captain Cockerell and Lieutenant Buckmar were both wounded on the thirty-first. The former commanded Battery F, First Ohio, and the latter belonged to the Seventh Indiana battery. Major Race, First Ohio artillery, Chief of Artillery in the First division, and the several battery commanders, with their officers and men, all, with one exception, deserve most grateful mention for their coolness and bravery throughout the battle. Lieutenant Parsons, commanding Batteries H and M, Fourth artillery, and his officers, Lieutenants Cushing and Huntington, deserve great credit for their courage under the hottest of the enemy's fire. They were probably under closer fire and more of it than any other battery in the left wing, and perhaps in the army. I am more than pleased with the way they behaved, as well as the brave men under them. Captain Bradley, Sixth Ohio battery, deserves particular notice for the manner in which he handled his battery. The one exception above referred to, is Lieutenant Richard Jervis, of the Eighth Indiana, who is represented to have acted in a very cowardly manner, by retiring a section of the battery at a critical moment without orders, or notifying his battery commander.

The following are the casualties, etc., in the several batteries: [516]

batteries and commanders.	officers wounded.	men.
		Killed.	Wounded.	Missing.
H and M, Fourth Artillery, Lieutenant Parsons,		2	14	6
B, First Ohio, Captain Standart,		3	13	3
F, First Ohio, Captain Cockerell,	1	2	12
Seventh Indiana, Captain Swallow,	1	4	7
Third Wisconsin, Lieutenant Livingston,			4
Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania, Lieutenant Stevens,		2	7
Eighth Indiana, Lieutenant Estep,			6	6
Tenth Indiana, Captain Cox,		1	4
Sixth Ohio, Captain Bradley,		2	2	1
Total,	2	16	69	16

I am, Major, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,